The Ripples In The Water
by PJPotter
Summary: You can't drop a pebble in a pond without changing the water. The same holds true for a destiny. Alternate Universe
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**

_This fic is very firmly Alternate Universe. If you're not a fan of AU or open-minded enough to give it a try I'd recommend backing out now. There is one HUGE deviation from canon and a few smaller ones. I don't alter canon without a reason, though, and that is explained, hopefully adequately. A few of those things are not canon in one continuity (i.e. anime) but are in another (PGSM)._

_I've used the Japanese names of characters throughout, but without any of the honorifics. Frankly I've never been able to figure out which one should be used when and it seemed like it'd be less offensive to eliminate them altogether than to use them and get them wrong. Any other errors connected to Japanese culture, society or mores are strictly the result of my own ignorance; please feel free to enlighten me and I'll make the necessary changes._

It was the sort of morning that had the power to render one speechless. The mellow sunlight shone out of a peerless blue sky, sparkling in the moisture that hung on the grass and the leaves of the trees. The previous night's rain had washed the air clean, and the rain-scented damp blended perfectly with the last of the night blooming jasmine.

It was, in short, exactly the sort of moment described as the calm before the storm.

"AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!"

Usagi sat bolt upright in bed, one hand pressed to her pounding heart while the other reached for the heart-shaped brooch on her nightstand, impelled by the sound of her daughter's shout. It was only when she heard her son's voice angrily responding that she let out the breath she was holding and relaxed.

"Were you and your brother this bad?" a voice asked from beneath the bedclothes.

Usagi grinned. "Worse, I think. I've considered asking my mother's advice about the two of them but figured after everything Shingo and I put her through she'd just laugh at me."

She heard a sigh and then an arm reached out and pushed the covers down, revealing Mamoru's dark, tousled hair. "Do you want to put a stop to this fight or should I?" he asked.

Usagi shook her head and lay back down. "Neither, I think. They need to learn how to deal with each other without shouting."

Mamoru gathered his wife in his arms and pressed a kiss to her temple. "If we hear anything breaking, though -"

"We'll both go then."

"So as long as nothing breaks I get to have a lazy Saturday morning in bed with my wife?" he asked, sliding a hand across her stomach.

No sooner had the words left his mouth when the sound of something shattering echoed through the house. With a groan Mamoru dropped his head onto Usagi's chest. She laughed. "You had to go and jinx it, didn't you?" she asked as she slid out from beneath him and left the warm bed. She was belting her robe around her waist when Mamoru rose as well.

Which one do you want?" he asked. "Or should we play rock paper scissors to decide?"

"I'll take Chibiusa. This time," Usagi replied, with a wink and a shake of a warning finger. She left their bedroom and made her way up the stairs to her daughter's room. The door was slightly open and she could hear movement and muttering. She pushed the door open completely.

"Chibiusa?" she called. When there was no response except for an increased volume to the muttering she raised her voice and with a touch of anger called again. "Chibiusa!"

He daughter appeared from behind the closet door, a pair of shoes in one hand and a blouse draped over her shoulder. As usual when there was a problem with her brother she looked murderous.

"Do you want to tell me why you disturbed such a peaceful morning?" her mother asked, crossing the room to sit on the bed.

"I didn't disturb anything," Chibiusa replied, the look on her face mellowing slightly.

"That's strange, because I distinctly remember your voice shouting first," Usagi said, moving over slightly as her daughter sat beside her. "What was it this time?"

"The same thing it is every time! HIM!"

Usagi bit her lower lip to hide her smile. It was like watching a film of her own teenaged years playing; this arguing between brother and sister. Chibiusa's uncanny resemblance to her mother only made it more surreal. "Could you be a bit more specific?" she asked, half afraid of the answer.

"He's been messing around with my stuff again, I can tell. He was in my closet!"

Usagi sighed. "I'm pretty sure he had a good reason for being in your closet," she said, glancing sternly at her daughter. "And he had my permission. Or have you forgotten the sweater you borrowed from him last week?" she asked and was gratified to see the blush spread up Chibiusa's throat and into her face. "Well," she began as she stood, "now that that's settled perhaps you'd like to make breakfast as an apology? Both to your brother for accusing him and to your father and I?" When her daughter nodded she left the room, knowing that nothing further needed to be said.

Mamoru was waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "I hope you had better luck," he said. "All I was able to get out of Seiya was something about a sweater and that he had your permission to go into Chibiusa's room."

Usagi leaned against the wall. "Everything's fine," she said, and told him the story of the borrowed sweater and the visit to the closet. "And we get free breakfast out of this. One we don't have to cook."

"Not a bad outcome," Mamoru said with a grin. "Maybe they should fight more often."

"I don't think it's possible for them to fight more."

"So I got stuck making breakfast, and I have to do Seiya's chores tomorrow. And all because I borrowed his sweater last week."

"I think it was more that you forgot that you borrowed the sweater and had a fit about him being in your closet."

Chibiusa glared at her friend. "Whose side are you on, Mariko?"

Mariko laughed. "I'm not on any 'side'. I just think you should be more honest with yourself." She leaned back in the booth at their favorite coffee shop. "Besides, if I had a choice I'd take a brother like Seiya any day. He's nowhere near as bad as you want to think."

Chibiusa grunted. "He's a pain and a pest. But I suppose he's not all bad."

"You never know, some day you he may really surprise you," Mariko said, glancing at her watch. "Where are they? It's not like Rio to be this late."

"How late?" a new voice asked, and the pair looked up to see their friend Rio arriving. She glanced around. "It can't be that late; I'm here before Akemi."

Chibiusa grinned. "No, you're not. Akemi isn't coming today; her mother grounded her for failing that test we had last week."

So in other words," Rio began as she checked her text messages, "there's no real point in any of us being here today." She made a disgusted sound in the back of her throat. "I may as well get a few other errands done while I'm here in town," she concluded before standing up and walking off without a backward glance.

Mariko and Chibiusa watched her go, surprise all over their faces. "What's up with her lately?" Chibiusa asked. "She's always running off, and being pretty rude about it."

Mariko shook her head. "You know how she get's about her mom at times. She doesn't like being pressured about being a miko."

Chibiusa nodded, thinking to herself that she understood the pressures that could come from a mother. It was different for her, though; none of her friends knew everything about who, and what, they were to become. Not yet. No, that was a knowledge that for now she had to carry all by herself.

After parting from Mariko outside the coffee shop Chibiusa wandered a bit aimlessly, without a destination in mind. All she knew was that she wasn't about to return home just yet, so when she found herself in front of the high-rise building where Akemi lived with her parents she decided to visit with her friend.

"You do know that I'm grounded," Akemi said when she opened the door with a smile.

"That means you can't go out, not that your friends can't come in. But if it makes you feel better I'll be gone before your mom comes home." She kicked her shoes off in the foyer and followed Akemi to the other girl's room. "Where's your father?"

"In London on business." Akemi grimaced. "If he was home I probably wouldn't have been grounded. He has a knack for getting Mom to calm down about these things. I think he's the only person who can."

Chibiusa sat on the bed and drew her legs up. "So, how bad was it this time?" she asked, grinning.

Akemi laughed. "About as bad as usual. She raved for close to an hour about how my bad grades have nothing to do with my not being smart and everything to do with my being lazy." She sank into the desk chair. "And to you I can admit she has a point; I just don't like putting in the work."

Chibiusa looked at the computer monitor on the desk behind her friend; it showed the page from an online encyclopedia about the Meiji Restoration. She nodded towards the computer. "You're putting in the work now," she said. "Isn't that the history project that my mom assigned your class?"

Akemi looked at the monitor. "Yeah, it is. But history never seems like work to me. I think that's another thing that get's my mom so riled up; I do fine in the subjects that she never had much interest in. She loved math and science and I really dislike them." She shrugged. "We're just too different, I suppose. I don't want to grow up to be like her and she views that as wrong, somehow."

Chibiusa stretched out on her stomach on the bed. "There's no telling what sort of person you'll grow up to be, though. I mean look at my mother. It's a great family joke that someone who was as bad a student as she was actually grew up to become a teacher!"

Akemi looked shocked. "But your mother is a great teacher!"

"I know she is," Chibiusa said, grinning. "But she was a lousy student, so it is kind of funny. Dad especially gets a lot of mileage out of joking about it. He loves to tell the story of how when they first met Mom was crying over a horrid grade on a test and he gave her a hard time about it. He says that they were clearly destined to fall in love and get married after such an auspicious beginning."

Akemi giggled. "Your father has a strange idea about destiny."

Chibiusa sobered and the grin slipped from her face. "You'd be surprised," she commented under her breath.

"What?" Akemi asked

"Nothing," Chibiusa replied, hastily replacing her smile. "Nothing important."

"And that's another thing," Akemi said, standing up and pacing the room. "Mom's always telling me that I have to work harder because I'm meant for something great. Destined for it, she tells me. As if I need to be 'great'," she said with a snort. "I just want to be a normal, everyday sort of girl."

"And she never gives you any hints about what this great destiny is supposed to be?" Chibiusa asked, trying to sound casual.

"Never a hint," Akemi confirmed. "I don't know if she thinks the mystery of the whole thing is supposed to get me interested or not, but I can tell her it isn't working."

"Don't you believe in destiny?" Chibiusa asked.

"Maybe. Sometimes. I don't really know; I haven't thought about it." Akemi laughed. "Who does think about stuff like that when they're sixteen?"

Chibiusa was saved from responding by the sound of the email alert on Akemi's computer. She opened the email and gave a delighted gasp. "It's from Mizuki!" she exclaimed. "She sent it to you as well, but you may as well hear it now." She was quiet for a brief moment while she read. "She's coming home! And she thinks her mom may be serious this time about retiring! Listen," she said and began to read out loud.

_This has been, in a lot of ways, the worst tour ever. I know that Mom has always pushed herself really hard, but now it just seems to take so much longer for her to bounce back. As I told you she had to spend two days in the hospital while we were in Germany due to exhaustion and then that cancelled concert in Prague caused a lot of embarrassment. I think that she's as much fed up with the whole thing as she is tired. She said the other night that she had once promised herself that when music became too much of a job she'd quit and that's how she feels right now. So this time we might be coming home for good!_

Akemi spun around on her desk chair to meet Chibiusa's beaming smile. "Isn't this great? Oh, I hope her mom is serious this time; it'll be so fantastic to have Mizuki home to stay!"

Chibiusa definitely agreed; it would be great for all of them to have Mizuki home. Then her mind started racing in another direction; what if Mizuki coming home triggered everything else? She'd have her friends with her all the time then, and could stop fighting battles by herself. She jumped off the bed.

"I've got to go! I just remembered something I promised I'd do for Mom while I was out today!" She ran out of Akemi's bedroom with a cheery wave. "I'll text you!" she called out as she pulled on her shoes and left the apartment.

Once outside she sprinted to the nearest bus stop, arriving just in time to catch the bus that would take her home. _If I was looking for good omens_, she told herself as she collapsed into a seat, _this would definitely qualify_. She got off of the bus a block from home and ran the rest of the way, bursting through the front door with a shout of "MOM!".

Usagi came out of the kitchen, the spoon in her hand dripping sauce on the tile floor of the hallway. "What?" she asked, looking surprised.

Chibiusa ran to her mother's side, grabbed the spoon from her and plopped it back into the saucepan. She remembered to turn off the heat before pulling Usagi to sit down at the table with her. "Mom, it's the absolute best news, but you'll never guess!" she said, her joy and happiness visible to anyone who looked at her face.

"Mizuki's coming home."

Chibiusa's face fell. "How did you guess?"

"I didn't," Usagi replied, smiling. "I got an email from her mother today. How did you find out?"

"I was with Akemi when she got a message from Mizuki. She told me what it said, since I'd find out as soon as I read my own email."

"What were you doing with Akemi? She's grounded," Usagi said, looking severe. "Grounded, and not supposed to be receiving visitors."

Chibiusa blushed. "I know, I know," she said. "But can we save any discussion of punishing me for another time? This is more important."

Usagi looked slightly chagrinned. "Chibiusa, I don't want you to get your hopes up. I know you want your friends to wake up to who and what they truly are, but having Mizuki back doesn't guarantee that it will happen."

"I know that!" Chibiusa protested. "But can't you see, Mom? I have to hope. I can't keep doing this by myself!"

Usagi bit back her instinctive response, which was that Chibiusa wasn't doing anything by herself; that she had always had her mother and her father at her side, fighting just as hard as she ever did. Now was not the time to point something like that out to a self-absorbed teenager. Especially not since there seemed to be some sort of truce holding after the morning's dust-up with her brother. Instead she sighed and stood, moving back to the stove. "It'll be another hour, at least, until dinner," she said. "Get out from underfoot and I might get it done sooner."

Chibiusa smiled and ran from the kitchen, her steps clearly audible as she raced up the stairs. Her mother sighed again, but didn't go back to her cooking. Instead Usagi went to where her purse was sitting on the counter and took out her mobile phone, speed-dialing a particular number. There was a pause before she spoke.

"Minako? It's Usagi."

"Usagi! It's great to hear from you but I was just on the way to a rehearsal. I'll have to call you back."

"This won't take long," Usagi said, sounding determined. "Tell me why you're bringing Mizuki home, and don't bother with any of the lame excuses you used in that email."

"They weren't lame, they were the truth," Minako said, huffy.

"OK, fine, I know they were the truth, but only part of it. What's the rest of the story? Is Mizuki. . ."

"Usagi -"

"Just tell me. Is she. . ." Usagi sighed, hating all of the dancing around the subject, but the mobile phones were not secure so certain subjects couldn't be discussed directly. "Did she wake up?" she finally asked.

"Yes, she did," Minako replied, the pride obvious in her voice. "The next generation is two-fifths complete."


	2. Chapter 2

The truce between brother and sister didn't last through the evening meal. It started out with some general sniping; apparently her belief that Mizuki coming home meant big changes in her life had given Chibiusa a confidence boost. Seiya sat for a while, unmoved by any of his sister's comments, but Usagi knew her son better than that. She was mentally counting down to the moment when he would bite back, and he didn't disappoint. From that point the meal rapidly degenerated into a shouting match between the two of them until their father called a halt and banished them to their bedrooms for the rest of the night, turning a deaf ear to any and all protests about who started it or whose fault it was.

Usagi sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned back in her chair as the two of them left the kitchen, sullen and silent. She heard the clatter of plates as Mamoru started to clear the table but she didn't open her eyes or get up. For whatever reason this particular verbal brawl between her children had been thoroughly exhausting. She didn't stir until she caught the scent of red wine wafting under her nose. She opened her eyes to see Mamoru holding a glass of ruby-red liquid before her. He grinned.

"You look like you could use this," he said, sitting beside her at the table with a glass of his own and taking her hand. "Now tell me what happened today that has reduced you to this."

So she told him; about Minako and her daughter coming home because Mizuki's powers had come out and Minako felt it was best for the both of them to be close by. "She said that if a new and powerful enemy is coming the girls will all need to be together so they can all gain their powers."

"What kind of new enemy?" Mamoru asked, taking a sip of wine. "And is that what happened to Mizuki?"

Usagi shook her head. "No, there was an armored car robbery in London and Minako wasn't able to transform. She dropped her crystal, Mizuki picked it up, and the rest, as they say, is history."

"Does Chibiusa know?"

"No, I haven't told her," Usagi replied. "Oh, she knows that they're coming home, but not all the reasons why."

"Don't you think you should tell her?"

"I don't know." She pinched the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache. "It's wonderful that Mizuki has awoken and become a sailor soldier in her mother's place, but what if it never happens for Mariko, Akemi and Rio? I'll have gotten Chibiusa's hopes up, and for what?"

Mamoru sighed. "I see your point, but maybe you should let her decide. After all, it directly concerns her."

"Fair enough," Usagi said, drinking some of her wine. "But I'm not going to tell her tonight. She needs to understand that she can not always have her way and break every rule as she goes; the good news about Mizuki would seem like too much of a reward for her bad behavior."

"What rule did she break today?"

Usagi sighed. "She went to see Akemi." When Mamoru opened his mouth she held up a hand to silence him. "And she is, as you were about to say, grounded. Which reminds me I need to call Ami and let her know." She looked at her husband, noticing for the first time the few strands of silver in his hair. She didn't often think about how quickly the years had passed, but on days like this, when she was surely feeling her age, those thoughts came unbidden. When he looked up their eyes met and they shared a private smile, hands reaching across the table and fingers entwining.

"There've been a lot of years," he said, putting her thoughts into words with his uncanny ability to sense her emotions and thoughts. "Do you ever wonder. . ."he began before cutting his words short.

"Wonder what?" Usagi asked. When Mamoru shrugged she squeezed his fingers. "Tell me," she urged.

"I was just thinking about how things were supposed to be," he said, his smile a little sad. "Or how they were supposedly supposed to be. And I wondered what, exactly, was it that changed? You? Me? Us?" He gave his head a determined shake. "Ignore me; I shouldn't be rambling on like an old man."

"I know what you mean, though," Usagi said, laughing slightly. "Everything that we thought was going to happen, expected to happen, remember happening. . ." Her eyes drifted closed. "It's so different now. And maybe none of that was truly meant to be."

"We were. And that's a start."

By Monday afternoon Usagi was ready to throw away everything and escape to a deserted island in the South Pacific. The increase in both volume and intensity of her children's bickering had been bad enough but upon arriving in the classroom that morning to find none of her students prepared for the day's lessons and all of them in the worst sort of teenaged mood had been the final straw. Frustrated with herself as much as with the children she made her way home, thankful that both Chibiusa and Seiya would be out of the house that evening - Seiya at a friend's and Chibiusa at a school activity. And although she wouldn't normally regard it as a benefit she also knew that Mamoru was going to be at work late to attend a meeting, so she had the house to herself for hours. Plenty of time to take care of some chores, grade some papers, and still enjoy herself.

She had cleaned the living room, the entry hall and the downstairs bathroom, and had a load of dirty clothes in the wash when she settled down at the kitchen table to work on evaluating the rough drafts of the latest assignment that a few students had turned in. As she looked through the papers she was pleased to see that one was Akemi's; she removed it from the pile to read first. Her red pen was in hand when she heard a key grating in the lock.

It had to be one of the children; they tended to be careless and always in a hurry with the door. She stood and left the kitchen, prepared to unleash a barrage of questions about the apparent change in plans. She was very surprised, then, when the door swung open and she saw her husband. Whatever she might have said - whatever greeting she may have planned - fled her mind as soon as she got a good look at him.

His lips were compressed in a tight line and his skin was ashen. The hand that held his keys was trembling (at least that explained the clumsiness with the lock) and the other was holding so tightly to the handle of the briefcase that the knuckles were white. She must have made some sort of sound then, because he looked up and she saw his eyes, haunted and afraid. She hurried forward, took the briefcase and set it down then put an arm around his waist, steering him to the living room.

"Usagi. . ."

"Shhhh," she said. "Whatever it is it can wait."

Mamoru's arm went around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly. "No, it can't wait. It may already be too late."

Alarmed by what she heard in his voice Usagi pulled back and looked up into his face. "What? What happened?"

Mamoru sighed and leaned against the wall, sliding down it until he was sitting, long legs sprawled out. Usagi knelt beside him; he reached out with one hand and cupped her cheek, caressing her temple with his thumb. She took that hand in one of hers, not flinching when he gripped her fingers tightly enough to hurt.

"There's trouble coming," he said finally. "The kind of trouble we haven't seen in a long time." He relaxed his grip on her hand and smiled slightly. "Do you remember why I took the research job with this particular lab, even though I had better offers?"

"Of course I do," Usagi replied. "We discussed it endlessly at the time. Is it. . . Has something happened related to that?"

Mamoru closed his eyes and grimaced. "The worst thing possible. Dr. Tomoe's research has disappeared. All of the physical files and the computer records. Everything."

Usagi felt as if ice was congealing around her heart and slipping to the pit of her stomach. She opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, only a strangled sound from deep in her throat. She took a deep breath to steady herself, slipping from her knees to sit on the hall floor.

"Is there -" Her voice came out as a croak; she cleared her throat and started again. "Is there a chance of a mistake? Maybe something was just mislaid."

Mamoru shook his head. "No chance. I have good reason to monitor all of those files, and I didn't make a mistake. Someone wanted to get their hands on that research, and now they've succeeded." Usagi opened her mouth but he held up a hand and forestalled her. "I know that it's possible that whoever did this was interested in Tomoe's legitimate genetic research, but. . ."

"But what?"

"The only way to know which is the genuine, legitimate research and which is connected to the Death Busters is by duplicating the experiments." He struggled to his feet and helped his wife to hers, keeping her hand in his. "There's more we need to talk about, but suddenly I'm starving."

Usagi mustered a laugh and was surprised at how genuine it sounded. "I wasn't expecting you to be home, so I didn't do anything about dinner." She sighed. "I was going to spend the evening grading papers."

Mamoru moved toward the kitchen. "I'm sure there's something we can put together; leftovers and such."

"A fourteen year old boy lives in this house, Mamoru. There are no leftovers."

He paused and glanced at Usagi, one eyebrow raised. "Pizza it is, then," he said, and she was relieved to hear the laughter in his voice. It didn't make the coming problem any less serious, but it helped to make her feel better.

An hour later they were at the kitchen table, which had been cleared of her student's papers and the remains of their hastily improvised dinner. In their place sat Mamoru's briefcase and an assortment of files, all a testament to the guard he had kept on Tomoe's research for the last few years. He was talking about a series of computer simulations that he had created in an attempt to predict the results of many of the experiments without the risk. Usagi quickly got lost under the barrage of technical jargon and let her mind drift, nodding her head whenever it seemed appropriate to do so and waiting for him to get to the point.

"Two years ago I set up an internet sniffer program," Mamoru was saying, grabbing her attention. "It was keyed onto certain words and phrases to alert me anytime someone online was taking an interest in Soichi Tomoe. Most of the searches it located were harmless, but this person -" He pulled another file out of the briefcase and laid it open before her. "Aaron Henderson - American, billionaire, medical doctor and chemical engineer."

Usagi quickly skimmed through the information in the file; at a quick glance this Henderson certainly seemed to be the sort of person to take an interest in Tomoe. But stealing the research files and planning to use them? "Do you think he was responsible for this theft?" she asked, closing the folder and sliding it back across the table to Mamoru.

"I don't think anything right now," he replied, pushing a hand through his hair. "I'm just saying that he's the only person I've been able to identify who has shown a consistent interest in Dr Tomoe, and his research, over the last two years."

Usagi nodded and shifted some of the other papers around. "OK, so for two years now you've been tracking internet searches that might conceivably be connected to Tomoe. What's all the rest of this about? The computers simulations and -" She shrugged. "And the rest of it?"

"I just explained all of that. Weren't you listening?"

"Yes!" Usagi exclaimed, her attempt to sound indignant spoiled by a giggle. "OK, fine! No, I wasn't listening, but you know how I am about anything to do with science."

Mamoru grinned. "Yes, I do know how you are - completely hopeless." He leaned closer to kiss Usagi, and she responded with enthusiasm. For a few stolen moments the whole world shrank to their small kitchen, and his lips on hers, his fingers gently stroking her cheek.

Mamoru broke the kiss with a groan and touched his nose to Usagi's. "Hold that thought," he whispered. "Although when I've finished the explanation you may not be in the same mood." He leaned back in his chair and scrubbed his face with his hands. "OK, here's the short version. I've been writing and running an extensive series of computer simulations in an effort to safely duplicate Tomoe's work. If I can just find the key to the process I think I can create some sort of early warning system that can alert us if anyone, anywhere in the world, re-creates the daimon pods. And we can get to them before they actually start heart snatching."

"OK," Usagi said. "I follow you this far. But that would be a very good thing, so why do I sense some hesitation on your part?"

Mamoru sighed. "Because there's a catch. There's always a catch."

"I figured there would be."

He stood up and started to pace. "Yes, but this is no ordinary catch," he said, stopping and resting his hands on the back of his chair. "All the programs and simulations can only take me so far. I'm at the point now where I need to physically test the possibility." He paused and took a deep breath. "And to do that I need a previously snatched pure heart crystal."

Usagi felt her eyes widen and her jaw drop. Whatever she had been expecting it hadn't been that. "You won't need it permanently, though, right?" she asked, making an effort to keep her voice light. "I'll get it back, won't I?"

"I won't use yours," Mamoru replied, his voice tight and angry.

"You damn well will," Usagi snapped, all pretense of humor and playfulness gone. "I'll not ask any of my friends to make a sacrifice that I wouldn't make first. And as for tracking down any of the other, completely innocent, victims get that idea out of your head, now."

"That idea never entered my head."

"Good." Her jaw was clenched and her chin jutting out, determined. Mamoru was irresistibly reminded of the stubborn girl he had first known and fallen in love with, and he knew there was no point in further argument. He also knew that despite his desire to protect her that Usagi's heart crystal offered him the best chance of succeeding. And if what they feared came true success was vital. He slid back into the chair and reached for her hand. "If there were any other way. . ."

She gripped his hand, hard, her fear transmitting itself through that clasp. "I know."

The doorbell rang, startling them both. Then again, and again, a sense of urgency loud and clear in the jangling sound. Usagi stood and left the kitchen, making her way to the front door. If it was one of the children ringing the bell because of a forgotten key she might have been tempted to infanticide.

But it was Ami. Ami looking disheveled and slightly ragged, not at all like her usual self. She also looked terrified. "Usagi -" she whispered, blinking back the sudden surge of tears in her eyes.

Without a word Usagi took her arm and brought her inside, closing the door and quickly steering her to the kitchen. Ami opened her mouth to speak again but Usagi shook her head. "Tell it once and be done with it," she said as they entered the kitchen.

Mamoru surged to his feet when his wife and her friend entered the room. He was just as shocked as Usagi had been by Ami's appearance, but when he would have helped get her to a chair Usagi shot him a look and whispered "Wine. Brandy. Something."

He all but ran to the drinks cabinet in the living room and poured two fingers worth of brandy into a glass, getting back to the kitchen just as Ami all but collapsed into one of the chairs. He pushed the brandy into her hand and she gulped it, coughing and sputtering. Some color returned to her cheeks, though, and after a deep breath she seemed to recover some of her composure.

Usagi noticed and released Ami's hand, sliding into the chair beside her as Mamoru came to stand behind her. "Better?" she asked. When Ami nodded she went on. "OK, what happened? It had to be something pretty extreme to get you in such a state." Then a horrible thought occurred to her and she went pale. "Akemi?"

Ami shook her head. "No, Akemi's fine. I'm fine. As far as I know everybody is fine. Except for the patient that was brought into the emergency room just about two hours ago." She closed her eyes and a tear slipped out and glided down her cheek. "I was supposed to be leaving at the end of my rounds but they called me in to look at this man."

"What was wrong with him?" Mamoru asked, an odd feeling of premonition settling in his stomach.

"He was unconscious and had a very thready heartbeat, but no other signs of a heart attack. And there was a strange mark on his chest like nothing any of the other doctors had seen. It was roughly shaped like a star."

Mamoru and Usagi locked gazes over her head as Ami said "It looked like he had been heart snatched."


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning Chibiusa was awake before the sun had come up. If one could use the term awake to describe someone who hadn't really slept, that is.

Arriving home the evening before she had found her distraught brother and a note from their parents explaining that they had gone to the hospital. Beyond assurances that no one they cared about had been hospitalized, however, the note hadn't explained anything, leaving the two teenagers to wonder and worry. At midnight Chibiusa had urged Seiya to go to bed, promising that she would follow suit shortly.

And she had, but she hadn't slept. Not really. Neither had Seiya; her bedroom was directly above his and she could hear him as he moved about, pacing in his agitation. She had been tempted to go to his room and stay with him as they had often done as young children when their parents had been out battling one enemy or another, but they had both grown past that. Had grown up into an animosity toward each other that neither seemed able to reach past.

Chibiusa sighed as she watched the red-tinted sky to the east lighten to orange and then the blazing yellow of the risen sun. As curious as she was about what had drawn her parents out the night before this was still an ordinary weekday, one that meant being dressed, eating breakfast, and going to school. She quickly tied up her hair, changed into her school uniform and went down the stairs, bumping into her brother outside the bathroom. He looked as exhausted as she felt.

Seiya managed to muster up a small smile. "I'll get started on breakfast while you clean up," he said.

Chibiusa nodded and moved past him to the bathroom sink. Only when his back was to her did she feel able to ask the question that was uppermost in her mind. "Mom and Dad still aren't home?" she asked, surprised at how calm and even her voice sounded.

"No," came Seiya's curt response as he moved off down the hall. Chibiusa listened to his steps descending the stairs to the ground floor before she closed the bathroom door.

Breakfast was eaten in silence; beyond that brief exchange outside the bathroom neither Chibiusa nor Seiya could think of a thing to say. She spent a fairly large portion of the meal fingering the heart-shaped brooch on her blouse, tempted to transform and use her powers to find out exactly what was going on while he watched her, his face and eyes expressionless. Many times in her life had Chibiusa wished for the ability to read her brother's thoughts and emotions, but never had that desire been as strong as it was now.

With both her plate and cup empty she stood and went to the sink, giving the items a quick rinse before sliding them into the dishwasher. She heard Seiya sigh behind her and then the squeak as he pushed his chair from the table, but she didn't stay in the room. In the entryway she slipped on her shoes, grabbed her schoolbag and all but ran out the door.

Seiya caught up with her at the bus stop, even though it was ought of the way on his walk to school. He stood beside her for a moment, not speaking. Finally she couldn't take the silence anymore. "You'll be late for school if you wait here with me," she said, her voice sounding harsh and critical. An angry flush suffused her brother's cheeks, and Chibiusa bit the inside of her lip, wishing she could take back the words.

"I thought you might like some company," he said, his voice shaking with the anger he was just barely holding in check. "And you probably do, but obviously not mine." He started to walk away; turned back when he had gone no more than a few steps. "I thought last night might have changed things between us, might have brought us together like when we were young. I had even hoped -" He clamped his jaw shut on whatever he had intended to say. Had he wanted her to be with him through the night?

"But obviously nothing is different for you," he went on. "You still can't accept me as anything but the useless and incompetent little brother that you were never supposed to have. You still think the worst of everything I am, everything I do and everything I say. But if I had -"

His accusations had stung, there was no denying that, and Chibiusa lashed out without thinking. "If you had what? Powers?" She made a scoffing sound. "As if that would make any difference. Besides, you know it'll never happen; you know as well as I do what destiny was supposed to have held for this family."

"Destiny can be changed," Seiya said, his voice tight. "Aren't I living proof of that?"

Chibiusa laughed. "Proof of nothing! Yes, destinies _can_ change, but sometimes they _shouldn't_. And you, baby brother, are most definitely a shouldn't."

Seiya crossed the distance between them in a few quick, angry strides and brought his face mere inches from hers. "You need to hope and pray that isn't true," he said in an angry whisper, "because the way I see it, sister, my gaining powers is the only help you'll ever get. Unless you're actually counting on your friends; friends who, I might add, don't even know who and what they are expected to become." He laughed then, a derisive sound, and turned his back to walk off. "Good luck counting on them," he tossed over his shoulder with a dismissive wave.

Chibiusa was so angry, both at him for saying it and herself for partly believing it, that she missed her bus when it arrived.

Usagi stood at the bottom of the stairs leading to the Hikawa Shrine, too exhausted to raise her head, much less begin climbing. It had been a long night, sitting vigil at the hospital. She felt grimy as well as tired; there hadn't been time to go home to bathe and change clothes before coming to the shrine so they could all meet and discuss what had happened yesterday.

And what had happened scared all of them. When she and Mamoru got to the hospital Ami's suspicions had proved correct - the man had been heart snatched. The other doctors were treating him as a heart attack victim and Ami and Usagi had been content with letting them think so while Mamoru, Rei, and Makoto had gone in search of the missing heart crystal.

It had been after four in the morning before they found it and brought it to the hospital. Just in time too, for the man was on the verge of death. He would live, thankfully, but they all agreed that the next time they might not be so lucky. Which was why she stood at the bottom of that long flight of stairs, resting before beginning the climb.

They had all agreed that a discussion was necessary before leaving the hospital. She and Mamoru had arrived home shortly after Chibiusa and Seiya had left for school; the smells of their breakfast were still lingering in the kitchen. Mamoru had gone to work, saying that it was now more important than ever that he attempt to complete his experiments, but Usagi had called the school district office and arranged for a week of emergency leave. She had felt guilty lying that her father was ill but had been unable to think of anything else. A week's worth of emergency leave because one is a sailor warrior of love and justice and needs to fight the bad guys just didn't have the same ring of authenticity to it.

_No use putting this off any longer_, Usagi told herself. _I'll just revert back to my teenaged reputation of being late for everything if I don't get my butt in gear_. And she started the long walk up the steps.

"Usagi!" a voice called out behind her.

Usagi turned around and saw Makoto coming up the steps without a single sign that she was even remotely tired. Usagi stopped and waited, thankful for the small break.

"You look awfully spry for someone who was up all night," she said when Makoto reached her and they continued the climb.

"It's all part of the act," Makoto replied with a grin. "A restaurateur can never look less than one hundred per cent or people start to think something's wrong, then the next thing you know the customers stop coming in." She shook her head wryly. "What you don't see is how I'm snoring on the inside."

"Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way," Usagi said. "I was worried that it was a sign of age."

"Unfortunately it is exactly that."

They both laughed, then decided to save their breath until they reached the top of the stairs.

They met inside Rei's office, which had been her bedroom in year's past. The laptop computer was open and set up for a video chat; they could see Minako on the screen waving as they came in. She looked happy to see everyone, but concern was clear in her reddened eyes and the lines of strain at the corners of her mouth.

"Couldn't you guys have waited?" she asked, attempting to inject some levity in to the situation. "I'll be home in two days, after all!"

Ami smiled. "You make it sound like we had a choice," she replied, managing to sound hurt and offended.

Minako laughed. "OK, fair point," she said before getting serious. "Now tell me what happened."

The others let Ami tell the story, since she had been there from the beginning. As she spoke Usagi felt a shiver of fear chase up her spine, remembering the long night just past and wondering what the future would bring. She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts and concerns that she didn't hear the question directed at her, she only noticed that suddenly they were all staring at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Dumpling head," Rei muttered, just loud enough to be heard, making all the others laugh, including Usagi.

"We were just wondering how this happened," Makoto said, repeating the question that Usagi had missed. "It's not like the previous heart snatching incidents were public knowledge, so how did whoever did this know what to do?" A puzzled look crossed her face. "Did that even make sense?" she asked, laughing.

Usagi grinned. "Yes, unfortunately it did make sense," she replied and went on to tell them about how Mamoru had discovered all of Dr. Tomoe's research had gone missing. She told them about how he had been monitoring the internet for the last two years and taking note of anyone who had an overly healthy interest in either Tomoe or his research.

"So far the most likely person seems to be one Aaron Henderson, an American billionaire with a background in medicine and chemical engineering," she continued. "His name has apparently come up in a lot of internet searches since Mamoru started his sniffer program."

Ami quickly ran a search on Henderson, confirming all that Usagi had just told them. "He's a medical doctor," she said, scanning the computer screen. "He also has a doctorate degree in chemical engineering and a background in genetics. In short he has the same background and training that Professor Tomoe had." She opened another article. "But here's something interesting; he's here, in Japan, to speak about genetic engineering at a scientific conference. The conference doesn't start until next week, but he's been here for almost a month."

Makoto stood up, as always the first to be ready for action. "So what are we waiting for?" she asked. "Let's find a way to talk to this Henderson!"

Rei laid a hand on Makoto's arm. "Hold on, Mako. It's not that easy. We can't go accusing him of anything based on the fact that he's interested in Tomoe's research. And that's really all we know right now. We certainly haven't got proof of anything else."

"There's something else to consider as well," Minako said. Ami quickly re-opened the video chat window on the laptop so they could all see her. "Usagi said that Mamoru told her about the missing research the same day that a heart snatched victim arrived in Ami's hospital. Are we assuming that someone was able to duplicate Tomoe's experiment, manufacture a Daimon, and snatch a heart crystal all in a few short hours?"

"She has a point," Ami commented. "We need to know exactly when the theft, or disappearance, of Tomoe's records happened."

"Until I can find out how Mamoru monitored these things I suggest we assume the disappearance was discovered yesterday," Usagi replied with a shrug. "I doubt we'll ever be able to find out exactly when it happened, but Minako's point is valid. I don't think any of us believes all of this happened in just a couple of hours."

The others all nodded in agreement. Usagi looked at all of their faces, each one a picture of trust and faith. She had been debating with herself about telling them the rest of the story but she had known there was never really a question. The four of them had trusted in her, and believed in her, on more occasions than she could really remember. She could do no less in return.

"There is one other thing," she said after taking a deep breath. The others looked at her expectantly. "Mamoru has himself been studying Tomoe's work and believes he may have figured out a way to us it to create some sort of detection system."

"Detecting what?" Rei asked.

Usagi sighed. "There may be a way to develop a warning system, so we'll know if a Daimon pod has been created and activated. We would have a chance of destroying it before it could harm anyone."

Everyone exclaimed and then started to talk at once, all sounding pleased and excited. Such an early warning system could also help them track down those responsible faster, so even fewer people could get hurt. Usagi let them discuss the positive implications of what she had told them for a few moments, reluctant to burst the bubble. She knew she had to, thought.

"There's a catch, of course," she said, loud enough to be heard over any other voices. When they quieted she smiled wryly. "There's always a catch. But this one is a doozy." She took a deep breath before continuing. "The only way to create this detection system is by using a previously snatched heart crystal, and I'll be the one who takes that risk."

There was a moment of stunned silence before all four of them erupted in exclamations and objections. Then a piercing whistle rent the air, and they all turned to Rei, who held up a hand. "We've all been previous victims," she said, sounding surprisingly calm. "So we'll all take the risk if it's necessary." Ami, Minako and Makoto all firmly added their agreement.

Usagi wanted to object but she found it difficult to speak around the lump in her throat. She knew that they would react this way, but it still had her blinking back tears. All she could do was accept their intentions with a grateful nod.

"Enough gloom and doom," Minako said. "How about some good news?" And she proceeded to tell the others what she had told Usagi about the real reason she had decided to come back home now with her daughter. They were all surprised, then delighted, and then thoughtful.

"It was a bit of a surprise for Mizuki, even though she knew there was a good chance it would happen," Minako concluded.

Rei was the first to speak up. "So you had actually told Mizuki that she would probably become Sailor Venus and take over the fight for you?"

Minako looked puzzled. "Of course I did. I hardly think it would have been fair to have it just happen to her with a figurative shout of _Surprise!_,the way it did to all of us." An awkward silence followed her statement, in which neither Rei, Ami, or Makoto would look directly at the camera. Minako noticed. "You mean none of the three of you have told your daughters?" she asked, sounding incredulous. "That must make things pretty damned awkward whenever one of them sees Chibiusa become Sailor Moon," she finished, with an understandable touch of sarcasm.

Usagi drew breath to defend her other friends, but realized that she had never really questioned them about their decisions to keep matters from their daughters. She was just as interested in knowing why as Minako. She looked expectantly at Rei, guessing that she would be the first to justify herself.

"You're being ridiculous, Minako," Rei said, a flush of anger staining her cheeks. "In the first place none of them has seen anything with regard to Chibiusa, or even any of us. And in the second place there are good reasons for not revealing the truth. I don't know about Ami or Mako but I refuse to let my already overly rebellious daughter have one more opportunity to reject something that is extremely important to me. And frankly I believe that if she knew she'd do exactly that." She stopped talking then, but she was breathing heavily and her eyes were still darkened with anger.

Ami spoke up then. "I haven't told Akemi because the last thing I want to do is put more pressure on her. There are already too many people who expect great academic things from the daughter of two famous doctors; I confess that I am often one of those people. And she seems to have chosen academic laziness as her rebellion," she went on with a nod to Rei, who had first brought up rebellious daughters. "She just doesn't need this on top of everything else," she concluded, crossing her arms over her chest and looking stubborn.

Makoto nodded in agreement. "I feel the same way as Ami," she said. "Mariko is under immense academic stress and I'm not adding to it, not when we can't even know for sure it'll happen. I'm not going to bother her with what might be; she has enough on her hands with what is."

Usagi studied the faces of her three friends and knew there was no way to convince them otherwise. And they all had valid points, she knew that. What would she have done if she had been given the choice of telling her daughter or not? She wasn't going to be the hypocrite and claim she would have behaved any differently.


	4. Chapter 4

After school that day Chibiusa felt at loose ends. She was still too angry and frustrated to go home and deal with her brother, even if her mother was at home. And after the recent chastising from her parents she didn't want to violate Akemi's grounding for a second time.

She started walking to the nearest bus stop, not really sure where she would go from there. And she couldn't stop thinking about the argument with Seiya that morning. As angry as she was she could still admit to the truth in some of his statements, even if she didn't like it. She had questions about all the tangled strands of her destiny, and she knew of only one place where she might get some answers.

Forty minutes later she was approaching one of the smaller shrines in the area. It was surrounded by trees which blocked out most of the traffic noise from nearby streets. Behind the building, near the koi pond, she found the person she was looking for.

"Luna!"

A beautiful woman with dark hair and golden, almost cat-like eyes stood up on the far side of the pond and faced Chibiusa, who ran forward into a warm embrace. She wasn't aware of her tears until the older woman wiped them from her cheeks.

For years Luna and her partner Artemis had, in their feline forms, been the guides and mentors of Chibiusa's mother and her friends. They had been a part of every battle and every turmoil, grooming five young girls into the powerful sailor soldiers that they became. In the end, after years of faithful service, the two of them had been granted human form and given their own lives to lead, but they had chosen to continue as before, only now they guided the next generation.

Inside the small house where she and Artemis lived Luna made tea and served it before asking any questions. After a few moments she noticed that Chibiusa was calmer and more in control of herself, so she felt safe in broaching the subject.

"What brings you here today?" Luna asked, taking a sip of her tea. She watched with interest as a flush stained her young companion's cheeks.

"Why does anything need to bring me here?" Chibiusa replied. "Can't I just want to visit an old family friend?"

Luna patted the girl's hand were it rested on the table. "Of course you can," she said, biting her lower lip to keep from smiling. "But that's not why you're here right now. So just tell me what happened so I can offer appropriate advice."

With a sigh Chibiusa began the story, starting with her parents being called to the hospital for something that neither had yet explained. She went on to describe the rather vicious argument she and Seiya had had that morning, ending with his parting shot of how she may not be able to depend on her friends to fight with her.

"He's just such an immature and jealous jerk!" Chibiusa exclaimed. "Just because I have these powers and he has nothing. . ." Her voice trailed off when she saw how Luna was looking at her.

"Which are you angrier about, Chibiusa?" Luna asked, her eyes regarding the younger girl with piercing intensity. "The fact that Seiya said that about your friends or the fact that a part of you believed him?"

"I didn't -"

"Don't lie. You'd be stupid if you didn't occasionally wonder what you'll do if your friends never awaken to their powers as sailor soldiers. And I know you are far from stupid," Luna concluded.

"But for Seiya to say it -"

Luna cut off her words with a sharp chopping motion of her hand. "Who said it is meaningless," she said. "And if you weren't always so quick to criticize and find fault with your brother you'd realize that."

"I didn't say anything that wasn't true!" Chibiusa protested. "How is that finding fault with him?"

Luna sighed and squeezed the bridge of her nose as if fighting a headache. "You didn't say anything about the altered destinies of you and your parents? Not a word about how he wasn't supposed to have been born? No comments about how that fact is probably why he hasn't shown any sign of powers?" When Chibusa flushed but didn't reply Luna had her answer. "That's what I thought," she said. "And you had the nerve to take offense when he hit back with the words that would hurt you the most?"

Chibiusa, still flushed but now thoroughly chastened stared into her teacup as if all the secrets of life were there to be revealed. Luna sighed and reached out, turning Chibiusa's face to her to look the girl in the eyes.

"Here is something that you need to understand about your brother, Chibiusa," she said, the anger gone from her voice. "He may be the result of the change on your parents' destinies but he's not the only one. Your life now is so completely different from what it was supposed to have been that you can't even imagine."

"I know," Chibiusa said, her voice quiet. "I know all about who I was supposed to be and what I was supposed to have done, including coming from the thirtieth century, which obviously didn't happen this time around."

Luna stood up then. "Come with me," she said, and led her young friend back outside to the koi pond.

"Destiny is like the surface of the water," she said, gesturing before stooping to pluck a pebble from the ground. "It's smooth and calm when everything is as it should be. But make one small change to that destiny -" she said, dropping the pebble into the water. They watched as the ripples spread out through the water, hit the edge and then worked their way back to the center.

"It takes time for all of the ripples to spread out and for the full effect of that change to be known," Luna said. "The full story of this changed destiny hasn't been written yet, and until it is you just need to accept that not everything is as you might wish it to be."

Chibiusa watched until the ripples all disappeared and the surface of the pool lay undisturbed yet again. Only then did she look up. "Is that why Mariko, Rio, Mizuki and Akemi still haven't awoken? Is that part of what's still unwritten?"

"I don't know, but it's certainly possible."

When Chibiusa arrived home neither of her parents were there, but there was a note on the refrigerator saying that they had arrived home from the hospital and where they had each gone since. There was nothing about what time either would be home. She read the note with a sinking heart; the thought of even an hour in her brother's company without the buffer of their parents was not one she relished. But she'd have to face him sooner or later.

Then she heard a noise upstairs and knew that Seiya was already at home. _Sooner it is, then_, she told herself, and reluctantly climbed the stairs. She stopped outside his partially opened bedroom door and took a deep breath before knocking. Her knock pushed the door open a bit more and she could see him, seated at his desk with his back to her.

"Unless the first words out of your mouth are going to be 'I'm sorry' I really don't want to hear anything from you," he said, without turning around. "And you can damn me for being immature, jealous, and unforgiving all you want, but it won't change anything." He turned around then and she almost took a step back and away from the anger that blazed in his eyes. "I've had enough of all of this. You, destiny, powers, whatever. So leave me alone."

She did take a step back then, away from his door, before turning to flee to her own bedroom. And she was still there an hour later when her mother came home.

She heard her mother's footsteps on the stairs, and then the knock on the door. For a moment she debated not answering but for Usagi to seek her out in her own room, rather than just call her downstairs, was so unusual that she knew something was up. Still, she reluctantly rose from her bed and opened the door.

And suppressed a gasp at how exhausted and drained her mother looked. It was obvious that she hadn't slept and lines of worry creased her forehead. But even so she had a smile on her face.

"Are you busy?" Usagi asked her daughter. "I have something important to tell you, but it can wait if need be."

Chibiusa smiled and hugged her mother. "If you say it's important, Mom, it won't have to wait."

Usagi was surprised at the hug and long, sometimes painful, experience as a mother told her it meant Chibiusa felt guilty about something, but she didn't have the energy to confront the situation at that moment. She simply wanted to inform Chibiusa about Mizuki and then leave her daughter alone to decide how she felt about the situation. And some sleep for herself would not be unwelcome.

They sat side by side on the bed. "So what's so important?" Chibiusa asked.

Usagi took her daughter's hand and smiled. "Do you remember what you said a couple of days ago when you found out Mizuki was coming home?"

Chibiusa nodded. "I said I hoped her being back here would help her awaken to her powers so that she could become Sailor Venus, and you told me that I shouldn't get my hopes up too high, because there wasn't a guarantee." She frowned slightly and worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "You were right, of course. I shouldn't get my hopes up; I should just wait and see how everything happens as the story continues to write itself."

Usagi looked suspiciously at her daughter. "What brought on this sudden bout of maturity?" she asked before realization hit. "Never mind, I can guess. You went to see Luna today." She shook her head. "I'm glad Luna was able to get through to you, but it's still secondary to what I have to say." She took a deep breath. "There's actually a different reason to not get your hopes up. For Mizuki you don't need to anymore."

Chibiusa looked into her mother's eyes, puzzled. When she figured out what Usagi was saying, though, she gasped out loud. "Mizuki. . . Mizuki is. . ."

Usagi nodded. "Yes. Yes, she is." And she went on to tell Chibiusa how it had happened; an armored car being robbed in London and Mizuki taking the Venus crystal from her mother and transforming.

Neither of them heard Seiya's footsteps as he descended the stairs at a speedy pace. Nor did he hear his mother berate his sister for her faults in the bad relationship between brother and sister.

He ran from the house and to the end of the block before he stopped, what he had just heard spinning in his mind. So Mizuki had her powers now, although he was fairly certain that Mariko, Rio and Akemi were still in the dark about their destinies. Not that that made him feel any better, because it still didn't answer the most important question that he needed an answer to: just what the hell was he supposed to become? There was really only one person who could answer that question, though, and he set off on the short walk to his father's research lab.

Mamoru sat in his office at work, feeling every single one of his almost forty years of age. Adrenaline had kept him going the previous night while he, Makoto and Rei had searched for the heart crystal, but that burst had worn off hours ago, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted. Both his administrative and lab assistants had noticed and managed to run interference for him, taking care of the worst of the day's problems.

But mental exhaustion aside he couldn't get his mind to stop analyzing everything that had happened. It was now more important than ever that he work to develop a method to detect a daimon pod before it could do any damage. The scientist in him knew that, but the husband was terrified of the danger Usagi would be in when they did the final experiment. And not only Usagi; he knew her well enough to know that she would tell the others the whole plan, and he knew Ami, Minako, Rei and Makoto well enough to know that they'd all insist on sharing the risk.

He was giving serious thought to laying his head down on the desk for a short nap when a brief knock sounded at the door and his son entered the room. "Seiya?" Mamoru said as his son came in the door. "What brings you here at this time of day?"

Seiya had entered the room in a temper, fully prepared to lay every grievance he currently had with his sister at his father's feet, but when he saw how tired and haggard Mamoru looked the words died in his mouth. He should have expected it; after all hadn't he and Chibiusa passed a long, sleepless night while their parents were out of the house? It made sense that their parents had been without sleep as well.

"Out with it, Seiya," Mamoru said, jerking his son's attention back. "You wouldn't have come here without something you thought you urgently needed to talk to me about, so just tell me."

Seiya, his anger now gone, dropped into one of the chairs and quickly told his father everything; about the sleepless night, the argument with Chibiusa earlier that day and the hurtful things they had both said to each other. "And I overheard Mom and Chibiusa talking, so I know that Mizuki now has her powers as Sailor Venus," he concluded. When his father gave him a look he went on. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop! I just wanted to talk to Mom and make sure she heard both sides of the story."

"I didn't imagine you went to your sister's room to apologize," Mamoru said, fighting to keep from smiling. "And now that you know there are two sailor warriors of the next generation you're wondering where, if anywhere, you fit into all of this."

"Well, yeah," Seiya said. "Shouldn't I wonder? It's not like it'd be totally out of the blue for a man to have powers and be the guardian of a planet, right?"

At that Mamoru did smile. "No, it wouldn't be out of the blue, but even if you're meant to follow me as the guardian of Earth it's not quite the same as being one of the sailor warriors."

"Am I meant to follow you?"

"I honestly don't know," Mamoru replied, sighing as he did so. "None of us knows anything about what's supposed to happen, because so many things were changed. The Earth was supposed to have been frozen in a deep sleep and not be awakened until the thirtieth century, for example. And we know that didn't happen."

"And Mariko, Rio and Akemi still haven't become sailor senshi," Seiya said.

Mamoru nodded. "That could be a part of all of this," he said. "Whatever it was that wrought this change in our destinies was like a pebble being dropped in a pond; we're still waiting to see where all the ripples go and what effect they'll have. The story isn't over yet, not by a long shot."

"So you think I should just be patient and wait and see."

"That's all any of us can do, Seiya. But there is something else that you need to remember."

"What?"

"Even if your destiny is to follow in my footsteps as the prince and guardian of Earth, you'll still never be as powerful as your sister or the other senshi," Mamoru said, gathering his things together. "They are the true protectors of this planet and its people. I've never had the kind of power your mother has, and I accepted that a long time ago. You'll have to live with that as well, when the time comes."

Seiya thought for a moment before giving a nod. "I understand," he said.

"I hope you do," his father replied, opening the office door. "Just do me one favour, please."

"What's that?

"Do not tell you mother that I admitted she's more powerful than me. I'd never hear the end of it!"


	5. Chapter 5

Two days later Chibiusa was beginning to think that her entire school had gone insane. Word had spread quickly that the daughter of international pop music sensation Minako would be attending that school and it seemed that everyone wanted to meet Mizuki in the hopes of being introduced to her mother. Luckily for Chibiusa, Rio, Akemi and Mariko nobody really new of the long-standing friendship that the four of them shared with Mizuki, so they were left in peace.

The first morning she was there, though, Mizuki put a quick stop to all of the clamoring for her attention. Before the first bell rang she made a loud announcement in the hallway to the effect that she was just another student wanting to do well and she expected everyone to respect her wishes and leave her alone. There was a bit of grumbling, but no one bothered her after that.

"I can't believe that worked!" Mariko said, amazed.

Mizuki grinned. "I've made that speech at five different schools," she said, "and each time it's worked like a charm. As much as they may want to get close to me for a chance to meet my mom they don't want to offend me even more. So they leave me alone thinking that that's the way to get on my good side."

They all laughed as they made their way to the classroom. While waiting for the teacher to arrive they talked more, continuing to get caught up after almost three years apart.

"It's so funny how unlike our mothers we are," Mizuki said with a smile. "I know my mom had a reputation of being late to school constantly -"

"As did mine," Chibiusa added.

"But I go out of my way to arrive early," Mizuki finished. "And I come home to find out that Mariko is the brains of the gang instead of Akemi, who is the martial arts master. That's pretty much the exact opposite of what I would have expected."

"You don't have to make any comment about me," Rio said. "Everyone here is all too aware of how different I am from my mother."

There was a brief, uncomfortable silence that Akemi broke with an abrupt change of subject. "Are you really home, though, Mizuki? For good?"

"I don't know about for good, but I'm staying here to finish high school," Mizuki replied. "Mom still isn't sure about retiring, but she's said that even if she does another tour I'm staying here." She gave Chibiusa a meaningful look. "There are important reasons for me to have a stable life right now."

Chibiusa listened to her friend's words but also caught the unspoken message. As soon as they could manage it the two of them would have a lot to talk about.

When the lunch break came Chibiusa was worried about inventing excuses to have a private talk with Mizuki but luck was on her side. Mariko needed to go to the library, Akemi to the computer lab, and Rio was leaving school for a doctor's appointment. They found a quiet corner of the school grounds and sat in the shade.

"You know, don't you?" Mizuki asked, getting straight to the point.

Chibiusa almost choked on a bite of her sandwich. She had expected they would at least eat first. She swallowed hard. "Know what?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

Mizuki rolled her eyes. "There's hardly a need to play dumb," she said. "You know that I have my powers now - that I'm Sailor Venus."

Chibiusa grinned. "Oh that. Yeah, I know." The girls threw their arms around each other in a celebratory hug. "I'm so glad!" Chibiusa enthused. "I was beginning to fear that I'd never have any help."

"Well, you're stuck with me now," Mizuki said, and she told her friend how it had happened; the armored car being robbed, her mother being caught unaware and unable to transform and how she had stepped in.

"But your mom is still Sailor Venus as well, right?" Chibiusa asked. "I mean, my mom didn't lose her powers as Sailor Moon when I gained mine."

"Mom's fine, and just as powerful as ever. I think it was a one time thing; the powers that be handicapped her to force me into awakening. And it worked."

"I wish those so-called powers that be would do something to force Akemi, Rio and Mariko into waking up as sailor warriors," Chibiusa said.

"Well, since my own experience I've been wondering a lot about that," Mizuki said, thoughtfully munching a pretzel. "What could possibly be holding them back? And what did Rio mean by her comment about how different she is from her mother?"

Chibiusa sighed. "I forgot that you wouldn't know, since you've been gone for three years. It started just over eighteen months ago. Rei was asked to serve on the committee of a charitable foundation; they provide university scholarships and grants to local artists as well as funds to assist young people that expressed an interest in training to become Shinto priests and priestesses."

"It makes sense that they'd want someone like Rei on their committee."

Chibiusa nodded. "Everything started to fall apart about four months after Rei joined the foundation. First Rio told her mom she didn't want to serve as a miko at the shrine any longer, then she got kicked out of her school -"

"She WHAT?" Mizuki exclaimed, looking as if her eyes were going to pop out of her head.

"I know, it was a surprise to all of us as well. Didn't you wonder why she was here at school with us?" Chibiusa asked.

"Well, yeah, I did, but I didn't think for one minute she had been thrown out of her private school!" Mizuki replied, shaking her head. "Go on, tell me the rest."

"Rio started hanging around with a bad crowd and dating some not-very-suitable boys. Word got around, and her mother confronted her about what was going on. Rio told her mom that since she wasn't hardly ever around anymore she found it difficult to believe that she gave a damn, and the two of them have been co-existing in an extremely chilly truce since then."

Mizuki whistled. "Wow," was all she said.

"Tell me about it," Chibiusa agreed.

"Do you think that all of these things are keeping the three of them from awakening? I mean the problems and the differences that they all seem to have with their mothers?"

"I haven't a clue, but I hope things change soon. I have a really strong feeling that something potentially big is coming," Chibiusa said and went on to tell Mizuki about the mysterious call to the hospital that her parents had received and how they had been out all night as a result.

"You might be right," Mizuki commented after a few moments thought. "It doesn't sound like anything normal, at any rate." She glanced away then, knowing that her next question was guaranteed to get her friend riled up. "What about Seiya?"

Chibiusa froze with the last bite of her sandwich halfway to her mouth. "What about him?"

"Nothing, really," Mizuki said, shrugging. "I was just wondering if he was showing any signs of having powers."

Chibiusa bit back the angry retort she had been about to make and felt tears start to sting her eyes. She blinked rapidly in an effort to stop them from falling. "No, he doesn't have any powers, and he said I need to hope and pray that he gets some. He said I'd be out of luck if I had to depend on just my friends if another big battle happens."

"When did he say that?"

Chibiusa threw what was left of her sandwich away. "The other morning we had a huge argument. Neither of us had slept the night before while our parents were at the hospital and I guess we didn't feel like keeping a guard on our feelings, or our tongues."

"What did you say to him?"

The tears that Chibiusa had been fighting started to fall. "I said that destiny should never have been changed; that he should never have been born," she whispered.

"No wonder he lashed out at you where it would hurt the most!" Mizuki exclaimed. "Did you also talk down to him and make fun of him for not having powers?" When Chibiusa nodded she continued. "That was a really stupid thing to say. Honestly, Usa, would you be surprised if Seiya does have powers? I know I wouldn't."

"Well, not really," Chibiusa replied, looking chagrinned. "He is my brother, after all."

Mizuki smiled. "I think you just need to accept the possibility, and deal with it if it happens. Besides, Seiya isn't the only one affected by the change in your parents' destiny - you were also."

"That's what Luna said. She also said that the full effect of that altered destiny is still unknown."

"Luna's smart, and you need to listen to her more." Mizuki looked away, staring into the distance. "I can't help but think, though, that everything is going to turn out to be much simpler than it at first appears."

Chibiusa spent the rest of the school day wondering just what Mizuki meant by that.

"I can not remember the last time I was so happy for a day to end," Mamoru said as he stretched out on the sofa with a sigh.

Usagi laughed and shoved his legs down, seating herself in their place. "And what, exactly, has brought this on?" she asked, pulling Mamoru's legs back up to rest on her lap.

"Nothing in particular," he replied. "More like the cumulative effect of the last couple of days."

"I know what you mean; I think I'm still trying to recover from that sleepless night," Usagi said, resting her head against the back of the sofa. "I can't imagine how much harder it's been for you. At least I've taken some time off from my job."

"It's not so bad," Mamoru said, pushing himself up into a sitting position, removing his legs from his wife's lap. "It's important that I work right now if we're going to get some sort of heart-snatch warning system." He took his cup of tea from the end table and sipped, not looking directly at Usagi. "And speaking of work, Seiya paid me a visit at the office a couple of days ago."

Usagi jerked her head up so fast the muscles of her neck popped. "He did what?"

Mamoru grinned. "I know, a little out of character for him," he said, reaching out to massage his wife's neck. "He overheard you telling Chibiusa about Mizuki getting her powers, and -"

"And he wanted to talk to the one person who would understand his own confusion about the whole issue of this mixed up destiny. Is that about right?"

"Pretty much, yes." Mamoru told Usagi the substance of his conversation with his son, ending with "Apparently earlier that day he really lit into his sister about her attitude towards him, saying that she'll be out of luck if she has to depend on her friends to help her fight and maybe she'd be better off if he had powers."

"And then he heard that Mizuki became Sailor Venus," Usagi said, sighing. "So he's feeling even less confident about whether or not he has a role to play." He face suddenly twisted with anger. "Chibiusa didn't say a word to me about that lovely little confrontation the two of them had," she all but growled. "If she had I might not have been so easy on her when I chastised her about their fighting."

"I'm sure you'll rectify that oversight," Mamoru commented, struggling to contain a smile. "But right now we have something more important to talk about. I said I didn't take any time off from work so that I could work on this warning system, and I think it's just about ready for the final step."

Usagi swallowed. "So soon?"

Mamoru took her hands in his. "I know, but we have to do this." He raised a hand and brushed the hair out of her face. "If it makes you feel better I'm as scared as you are. Maybe more." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Look at what I have to lose," he whispered.

"I know."

"Besides," he went on, this time letting the smile come through. "I'm sure you've already told all of your friends about this, and they'll be there for the whole thing, ready to offer up their heart crystals as readily as you offered yours."

"You're lucky I don't hit you with one of these sofa pillows," Usagi, said, laughing. "But you're right, they did offer their help, but I won't allow it. I can't stop them from being present when we do this, but I can damn well make sure they aren't put at risk."

"I'm glad you told them though, because at the very least we'll need Ami." When Usagi shot him a glare he held up a hand. "As a doctor, I mean. Someone will have to be monitoring your vital signs the whole time."

"Well, now that that is all settled we may as well get this done as soon as possible." She grinned sidelong at her husband. "What's your schedule look like for tomorrow night."

Mamoru laughed. "It's all clear."

"Well, then, it's a date."

The next night they all gathered in Mamoru's lab while he took a few minutes to give instructions to the security guards on duty.

"Just make yourselves scarce tonight," he said, noting their puzzled looks. "Change your pattern when you make your rounds and stay away from my lab."

"But -"

"No buts, you two. I mean it." He nodded to the bank of monitors behind where they sat. "And disable the security cameras while you're at it. Don't worry, I'll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong. I just don't want any more people involved in this, even peripherally."

"What's going on?" one of the guards asked.

Mamoru smiled grimly. "Believe me, you don't want to know.

In the lab Ami was busy getting Usagi ready. Minako and Rei had found a hospital-like gurney in another of the labs and appropriated it for their use and Usagi lay on it, her upper body inclined halfway. Ami was fixing the electrodes of a portable heart monitor to her chest and setting up the equipment to keep track of her pulse and blood oxygen level. Last came an IV, which was simple saline to ensure Usagi's blood pressure stayed within normal range.

Once everything was all done and the various monitors were softly beeping Ami took a syringe out of her bag. "I'm going to give you a sedative, Usagi," she said. "It's not enough to knock you out but it will keep you relaxed and lessen any pain that you might feel."

Usagi nodded and watched as Ami administered the drug through the IV. Whatever it was worked quick, because barely five minutes later she started to feel lightheaded and sleepy. She didn't even notice Mamoru's arrival until he took her hand.

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked, a whisper for her ears only.

"Not even close," she replied with a soft smile. "So get it over with before I change my mind."

Mamoru grinned and nodded before addressing his next words to everyone present. "This won't be anything like the heart snatchings that we all remember," he said, crossing the room to a work table that had a rack of test tubes on it. "I was able to isolate the - let's say active ingredient - in a daimon pod and used it to synthesize a solution that can be administered intravenously. It's meant to work almost like the body's natural rejection process that is sometimes seen in transplants, only it'll be rejecting the pure heart crystal." He held up a vial of murky red fluid and a syringe. "I can't guarantee there'll be no pain," he said, meeting his wife's eyes, "but I can guarantee it won't be anywhere near as bad as what you remember."

He held the vial and syringe out and Ami took them with no noticeable hesitation, although her hands were shaking slightly. She filled the syringe then took a deep, calming breath before injecting the daimon fluid into Usagi's IV. Everyone caught there breath.

It happened faster than expected. One minute Usagi was fine, if a little groggy from the sedative. The next her eyes closed, her brows drew together and her face contracted in pain. She didn't make a sound, but she leaned forward slightly for a brief time before slumping back against the gurney. Her heart crystal appeared, it's shine lighting up the entire room.

Mamoru took the crystal and moved to the work table while the others stayed close to Usagi. Ami's eyes were glued to the monitors while Rei pressed her fingers to Usagi's wrist, feeling the pulse there. "It's faint, but steady," Rei said.

"Blood pressure holding steady as well," Ami added.

Mamoru blocked out everything else and focused on what he needed to do. He swabbed his wife's heart crystal first, then used a razor blade to shave off a sliver of the crystal itself. The swab was dropped into a test tube with the daimon solution and the sliver of crystal sealed in a phial with neutral fluid to preserve it.

"Blood pressure dropping!"

"Her pulse is slowing and her body temperature is going down!"

"Mamoru, we can't wait," Ami said, sounding slightly panicked. "We need to get the crystal back inside of her."

"One more minute."

"No pulse!" Rei called out just as the alarm on the heart monitor started blaring. Ami pressed a finger to Usagi's neck and felt a telltale fluttering.

"She's in V-fib," Ami said, not caring that no one understood what she meant. Her panic of a moment before receded in the face of a genuine medical emergency and she started snapping out orders. "Minako, lay the gurney flat. Rei, get my bag. Mamoru -"

"Done!" he shouted, moving quickly across the room and releasing the heart crystal, which floated towards Usagi before disappearing back inside her body.

Ami watched the monitor closely, her fingers still pressed to Usagi's neck. She shook her head. "No good," she said, grabbing her bag from Rei and taking out the plastic case of an automated external defibrillator . She pulled open Usagi's shirt, sending a couple of buttons flying, and quickly swabbed the skin clean before attaching the two pads.

"Everyone stand back," she said, waiting until they all followed her orders before pressing a button on the machine to begin analyzing Usagi's heart rhythm.

"Shock recommended," a computerized voice said.

"Stay back," Ami ordered, pushing the button to send an electrical surge into her friend. They all waited for another few anxious seconds, then the alarm on the monitor stopped. Ami's face relaxed into a smile.

"Pulse strong and steady," she said with a sigh of relief.

"Shock successful," the computer said, echoing Ami's report.

Usagi's eyes fluttered and then opened, taking a minute to focus. Mamoru moved to her side and took both of her hands. She gave him a weak smile.

"I just hope to hell this works."


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning Chibiusa set out for school feeling unsettled and disturbed. Her parents had gone out the night before for some unknown reason, and when they arrived home Usagi was pale and weak, supported by her husband. She had been tempted to ask quite a lot of questions but had held her tongue. If she needed to know they would tell her. She was certain of that.

She was nearly halfway to her bus stop when she heard running footsteps behind her and turned to see what was going on. When she saw who was catching up to her she was shocked.

"Thanks for waiting," Seiya said, grinning.

Almost against her will Chibiusa smiled back. "Why did I?" she asked in jest. "And more importantly why are you with me right now?"

Seiya's grin quickly faded, to be replaced by a look of concern. "What were Mom and Dad doing last evening?" he asked.

"What makes you think I know?"

Seiya bit back his instinctive, angry retort and answered calmly. "They usually tell you things before they tell me, especially if it involves saving the world. And I think something like that might be in the wind."

Chibiusa walked on in silence, thinking about what her brother had said. She couldn't automatically deny what he was thinking, because it was on her mind as well, particularly after seeing her mother the previous evening. She settled for tossing the unspoken question right back at him.

"What makes you think that?"

Seiya rolled his eyes. "Come on, Usa. You're not going to convince me that you haven't felt the same way. And it started with that mysterious all-nighter at the hospital."

"OK, fine. I'm not going to pretend that I'm not thinking the same thing." She stopped walking and faced her brother. "But until they choose to tell us what's been going on it's all just useless speculation."

Seiya nodded and they both started walking again. "They're going to need both of us, you know," he said after a few moments silence.

"I know."

"So maybe we should prove to them that they can rely on the both of us without waiting for the inevitable argument to start."

"Are you proposing a truce?" Chibiusa asked, glancing sidelong at him.

Seiya smiled. "Let's start with a truce and then work on negotiating a permanent treaty." He faced her and stuck out his hand. "Deal?"

Chibiusa took his hand and they shook. "Deal," she replied. Then she saw something in her brother's face. "Why are you being so accommodating?" she asked, suspicious.

His smile blossomed into a fully fledged grin. "The odds are against me now," he said with a wink. "You and Mizuki against little old me? Not a fight I want to have." He glanced past her to the bus stop. "Akemi's waiting for you." He bent his head and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. "See you later!" he called out before running off towards his school.

Chibiusa stood staring after him for a minute, totally bemused. Then she grinned and made her way to the bus stop, where Akemi was waiting with a puzzled look on her face. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"What was what all about?"

Akemi snorted. "Don't pretend with me. Seiya kissed your cheek. I think the last time I saw that happen he was four years old and we were six."

Chibiusa shrugged. "We're just trying something new; not arguing."

"Anything in particular bring this on?"

For a minute Chibiusa thought about lying to her friend, but knew it was useless. After all, Akemi's mother had been a part of the strange happenings that night at the hospital. "We just decided that it'd be better for our parents to not have to worry about our relationship," she said. "And we've both been concerned since that evening your mom called them out and they were at the hospital all night."

Akemi nodded. "I can understand that," she said. "Mom's been a little strange and pre-occupied since then as well. She nearly forgot that she had grounded me, for pity's sake! It's probably just something to do with a patient, though; I've seen her get like this before."

"Mmmmm, yeah, probably," Chibiusa commented, while all the time her instincts were telling her that it was bigger than that: that a big battle was on the horizon. For not the first time she found herself fervently wishing that Akemi, Mariko and Rio would gain their powers, and fast.

Usagi slept in that morning, following doctor's orders. "Rest," Ami had told her the night before. "Relax, and don't be stressed. Your body has just been through a serious trauma and you don't want to make it any worse." She had then hugged her friend, whispering "You scared the daylights out of us." into her ear. Usagi had promised to follow Ami's instructions, admitting that what had happened had scared her as well.

One glance at the clock told her that Mamoru must have threatened the children if they disturbed their mother. They would have been up and getting ready for school nearly two hours ago, yet she hadn't heard a sound. Usagi lay back on the pillows and grinned; it was good to know that sometimes Chibiusa and Seiya could do as they were told.

But for all of Ami's orders and her own lazy inclination she knew she couldn't stay in bed all day. For a start the growling of her stomach wasn't about to let her, so with a sigh she got out of bed, cleaned up, dressed, and made her way downstairs.

The luxury of the newspaper and a leisurely cup of tea was something Usagi rarely had a chance to indulge in, so she took full advantage of it that morning. She made mental notes of a few items of international news so she could spring a pop quiz on current events when she returned to work, but other than that the news was pretty much the same as every day. Then she saw the front page of the features section and her heart skipped a beat.

The headline read _Billionaire philanthropist makes the social scene_. Beneath the headline was a photo of an attractive man in his fifties with the caption "American Aaron Henderson, expected to make waves at an upcoming conference on genetic research, is already making a splash in Tokyo society". She quickly read through the article but was disappointed that it focused on the many social obligations that Henderson had taken on during his stay in the city. It was only at the very end that any mention was made of his interest in genetic engineering, and even that was only a date and time for his presentation at the conference.

After quickly rinsing out her breakfast dishes Usagi grabbed her laptop from its case and started an internet search on Aaron Henderson. Just like the article in the paper a lot of what she found dealt with his prominence in social circles, but then something else caught her eye. It was a post on a political blog, and as she read she felt her heat sink a little further into her stomach.

Up until two years previously Henderson had been a very active philanthropist. His foundation had given grants for all kinds of scientific research and provided massive amounts of money for college scholarships. Henderson himself had been hailed for his dedication to serving a multitude of causes in a wide variety of countries; there had even been talk of an eventual Nobel Peace Prize.

All of that had abruptly ended two years ago when the good works dried up, the foundation was disbanded, and Aaron Henderson began to devote himself exclusively to his own research. His upcoming presentation at the conference was to be his first such appearance since the end of the charity, and as she clicked on more links she discovered that the internet was rife with speculation as to why Henderson had chosen this moment to reappear.

_Two years ago also coincides with when Mamoru created that sniffer program_, Usagi thought, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. _And that's when Henderson's interest in Tomoe's genetic research began._

She opened a new search and started looking for academic papers written by Henderson. The ones she found that dealt with genetic engineering and other medical research were so full of technical terms and jargon that it made her eyes cross, so she printed them out for her husband, certain that Mamoru would be able to make sense of it. And find any similarities with Tomoe's own writing on the subject.

As she was scrolling down through a list of titles of things Henderson had written she saw one that immediately grabbed her attention: _Chaos In The Human Heart_. She opened the document and began to read.

It wasn't a scientific paper; it read more like a social commentary or a newspaper editorial. But what Usagi found particularly chilling was Henderson's premise that humanity naturally tended to a chaotic state - physically, emotionally, and even legally. Laws designed to govern people's actions towards each other simply hindered the natural drift to chaos, as was proven by the increasingly high crime rates, even in countries that historically had very little problem with crime. What was even worse was the feeling that Henderson regarded himself as above those chaotic circumstances and even seemed to be setting himself up as some sort of moral judge of the rest of humanity.

Almost unbidden memories came flooding back of someone else who thought she was the only person in existence who could be trusted to safeguard everyone else. The powerful Sailor Galaxia, who had sealed Chaos away in her own body to protect the rest of the universe, only to be completely corrupted by it and nearly destroy all things.

"_Do you think Chaos is gone?"_

"_I think it went back to where it should be."_

"_Where it should be?"_

"_Yes, inside people's hearts."_

"_Don't worry! After all, the Light of Hope is in everyone's hearts, too."_

Usagi remembered that conversation vividly, as well as the battle that preceded it. Alone and afraid, believing that everyone she loved and cared for had died, she had still had faith in the innate goodness of the world and everyone in it. That faith had allowed her to triumph; had saved Sailor Galaxia from the Chaos that had ruled her heart and mind. But at the back of her mind, for all of the years since that day, there had always been a concern that somehow, someway, Chaos would find the one human being in whom the Light of Hope had not taken root.

Could that person be Aaron Henderson? The dismantling of his foundation and the cessation of his philanthropic activities seemed to point to some sort of drastic personality change two years ago. But was it the corruption of Chaos? And if so how did that connect to Tomoe's research and the heart snatching? Was it a deliberate effort to find the purest hearts on Earth and corrupt them, one by one?

She glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall and was surprised at the time. She had been sitting there for almost three hours, which became apparent as soon as she stood and felt the stiffness in her limbs. But she hurried out of the house; she had just enough time to catch Mamoru at work and join him on his lunch break. After all, they had a lot to talk about.

She waited, somewhat impatiently, after the security guard had called her husband's office. Mamoru had sounded surprised at her being out of the house, but said he'd be down shortly. Usagi had little choice but to pace the lobby of the building, looking at her watch often as if willing time to go faster. The folder that she had put the printouts of Henderson's writings in felt heavy in her hand. She was so focused in her own thoughts that she let out a shriek when Mamoru's hand touched her shoulder.

He took a step back, surprised, and then his face creased in a look of concern. Taking her hand in his he led the way down the street to the café where he and his colleagues frequently ate lunch. He knew he could count on the staff there to respect their privacy.

Once they were sitting down, and with glasses of cold green tea in front of them Mamoru gave voice to his worry. "Why are you up and out of the house?" he asked, squeezing her hand gently. "Ami told you to rest today."

Usagi smiled weakly. "I'm surprised you're not telling me I look terrible."

"Well - "

"Don't even think about it," she admonished her husband, trying and failing to glare at him. She took the folder from where she had set it and placed it on the table in front of Mamoru. She told him about the article she had read in the paper and how the story of Aaron Henderson's former philanthropic activities had made her curious. "I took advantage of the quiet at home to do some research," she said. "I printed out some of Henderson's scientific papers, figuring that you could make more sense of them than me," she went on with a grin, "but this one I think you should read right now." And she handed him a copy of _Chaos In The Human Heart _and waited while he read it, watching a deep V form in between his eyebrows.

When he finished he looked up and their eyes met. "Are you thinking. . ." Mamoru began, but his voice trailed off. Usagi understood why. He didn't know everything that had occurred in the battle with Galaxia, and by mutual consent they rarely talked about it. But now, it seemed, the subject was unavoidable, and Usagi only hoped she could get through the conversation without giving way to some of the old feelings that he had abandoned her. It would serve no purpose to start hurling recriminations so many years after the fact.

"I think Aaron Henderson is the person that Chaos has been waiting these twenty or more years for," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I think his heart and mind have been corrupted, and that Chaos is using his knowledge of Tomoe's research to find and destroy other pure hearts."

Mamoru slid the papers back into the folder with a sigh. "I agree that it seems likely, but we'll have to approach this very delicately," he said. "I talked to some of my colleagues today and they all praised Henderson's scientific work to the skies. He's not just rich and powerful, Usako. He's greatly respected as well."

Usagi snorted. "So was Dr. Tomoe, remember? Look how that turned out."

"I'm not disputing your conclusion; I'm just saying we need to be careful."

"I don't want to wait until people start having their hearts snatched left, right, and center! We're not a court of law, Mamoru. We don't need that kind of proof of guilt before we act." Usagi became aware of the rising pitch of her voice and moderated her tone, leaning across the table so he could hear her. "Isn't there anything you can do? As a respected part of the local scientific community, I mean."

Mamoru sighed. "I can try to see and speak to Henderson, but even that might not do us any good." He briefly glanced out of the window. "I would like to ask him how he became interested in Tomoe, among other things." He rubbed his face with his hands, looking tired. "You do realize that if you're right this makes things more serious than anything we've dealt with in years? Decades, even. We'll need to tell the children, and sooner rather than later."

Usagi nodded. That thought had certainly occurred to her. "We'll need to tell everyone," she added. "The other senshi won't thank me for keeping this from them, even if I wanted to. Besides, we'll need all the help we can get."

Mamoru smiled suddenly. "Speaking of help -" he said as he pulled a watch out of his pocket and handed it to Usagi.

"What's this supposed to be?" she asked, turning it over in her hand. It looked like a perfectly ordinary watch.

Mamoru's smile widened into a grin. "I took some of the crystals that I was able to synthesize from last night's experiments and integrated them into that watch's inner workings. It'll tell the time, the date, and the phases of the moon." He slid it onto his wife's wrist and tightened the band. "Most importantly though, it's your new, official Daimon detector."


	7. Chapter 7

The evening meal that night brought with it another surprise; Chibiusa and Seiya appeared to have settled some of their worst differences and were even getting along. Mamoru, with a father's desire for peace and quiet in the household, was nothing but pleased. Usagi, with a mother's suspicion, was too busy wondering why to even think that this might be a good thing. She only hoped that when everything else was revealed to them they wouldn't revert back to their old ways.

When the two teenagers stood up together and offered to do all of the clean-up her suspicions finally ran over. "All right, that's it," Usagi said, looking from her son to her daughter. "What is going on here?"

The pair of them tried to look innocent, but it was completely spoiled by Seiya's lips twitching and Chibiusa biting her lower lip in efforts not to laugh. Usagi felt a smile start to make it's way across her face, and she didn't even try to fight it.

"OK, fine. I should just be thankful that you're getting along, right?"

They both came forward and hugged their mother. When Chibiusa pulled away she met Usagi's eyes. "We just thought that with something potentially big in the works it'd be best to stop fighting," she said, looking to her brother for agreement.

Seiya nodded. "We don't want to make anything harder," he added. "Especially not by being selfish brats all the time."

Usagi blinked back tears as she saw the two of them smile at each other. She knew her son and daughter too well to think this new found maturity would last on either's part, but she'd enjoy it while she could. She covered up her emotions with a cough and resisted the urge to elbow Mamoru in the stomach when he chuckled.

"It's good that the two of you decided this on your own," Mamoru said with a touch of laughter still in his voice. "Because you're absolutely right that something big is in the works."

"The sort of big we haven't seen in nearly twenty years," Usagi added, slipping back into her chair at the kitchen table. The others followed suit, but no one said a word. Mamoru took his wife's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. A moment later Usagi took a deep breath and started to speak.

She told them everything, going back to the first battle with Dr. Tomoe and the Deathbusters, since the Chibiusa that now sat in front of her was not the same girl who had gone through all of that. She talked about Sailor Galaxia and the Light of Hope, and the world in which Chaos resided in everyone's mind. The only interruption to her story came when Mamoru took over to tell about the disappearance of Tomoe's research. The children were too engrossed, and surprised, to offer any comment.

"The other night, when we were out at the hospital, was because we feared that a heart snatching had happened," Usagi said when Mamoru finished his part of the tale. She was surprised at how hoarse her voice sounded and stood to get a glass of water. She drank it down, refilled the glass, and went back to the table. "Unfortunately what we feared turned out to be true. It took most of the night to find the man's heart crystal."

"That one heart snatching was probably just a test," Mamoru put in. "A test to see if Tomoe's research was valid. We haven't been able to think of any reason why they would want to keep the heart crystals."

There were a few moments of silence in which Chibiusa and Seiya exchanged a look. "What about last night?" Chibiusa finally asked. "I saw you when you got home, Mom. No offense, but you looked like death warmed up."

Usagi looked like she very much wanted to take offense, so Mamoru laid a hand on her arm, enjoining her to silence. "That was my fault," he said, and went on to tell them about his idea to use Tomoe's experiments to create a way to detect the Daimon pods. "Unfortunately your mother had to put her life at risk so we could make such an attempt, but it worked. We've got an early warning system in place now."

"But nothing's happened since that first heart snatching, right?" Seiya asked, looking worriedly from one parent to the other. "If all they wanted to do was test something they should be satisfied with the results."

"Whoever they are," Chibiusa added.

Usagi coughed; a small, embarrassed sound. "Well, we do have a bit of a clue about that as well." And she handed each of her children a copy of Aaron Henderson's _Chaos In The Human Heart_ article. She and Mamoru both held their tongues while Seiya and Chibiusa read, but Usagi reached out and took her husband's hand, twining her fingers in his.

Seiya finished reading first, and when he looked up his face was pinched with disgust and anger. "This Henderson thinks he's the only person on the planet worth anything, doesn't he?" he asked, his voice husky. "He sure writes like he's the final arbiter of morality for the entire human race."

Chibiusa laid her copy of the article down and took a deep breath. "It's just like Sailor Galaxia, isn't it? He sees himself as person who can save everyone else, no matter the consequences." She clenched her hands together so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Is that Chaos?"

Usagi nodded. "I'm afraid it might be. Until two years ago Dr. Henderson was a world-renowned philanthropist who spent most of his time in charitable good works. That changed almost overnight."

"And that change coincided with his burgeoning interest in Tomoe's work," Mamoru added. "It's not proof of anything, but right now we have to focus on the most likely possibility, and that is Henderson."

Much later that night Seiya sat up, unable to sleep. His mind reeled from everything that their parents had told him and Chibiusa. It was, admittedly, a lot to take in, but what gripped him the most was a gnawing fear. He was the only powerless one in his family. What if this was so big that not even his mother could protect him as Sailor Moon? Was that the ultimate result of the altered destinies? That he would die in a fight that no one could keep him out of?

He slipped out of his room and into the oppressively quiet hallway. He took three steps and then froze in response to a sudden sound. He stayed perfectly still, his heart pounding, until he realized it was just his mother's snoring. He grinned and gave his head a shake, making his way to the staircase that led to his sister's bedroom.

"Usa?" he whispered when he was halfway up the stairs.

"I'm awake," she replied as a soft red glow lit the upper part of the stairs and her room beyond. Seiya finished the climb and sat on the end of her bed, hugging his knees close to his chest.

"You're as scared as I am," Chibiusa said. It wasn't a question.

Seiya half laughed. "Probably more scared," he admitted. "I don't have any powers to defend myself with," he continued. "At least if something happens to you you can go down fighting."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

The two of them sat in a companionable, if slightly uncomfortable, silence for a time. Neither seemed to want to talk about what was really going on in their heads. It was all just a little too huge to put into words just yet, but at least they could each have the other near.

Finally Seiya broke the silence. "Do you think that's what changed destiny?" he asked.

"What?"

"Chaos. Mom said that Chaos was released from the body of Sailor Galaxia and went back into the hearts and minds of everyone. So if it was sealed away originally, when a particular destiny unfolded, isn't it logical to think that releasing it is what changed everything?"

"I suppose it is," Chibiusa replied. "At least I don't think it's silly to think Chaos could be a factor. But we can't assume it's the only reason. As Luna reminded me the other day the full story of the change in destiny hasn't yet been told, so I think that means that we can't yet know the full story of why."

"What if this is the end of the story?" Seiya asked, his voice so quiet that Chibiusa had to strain to hear him. "What if this battle is the disaster that causes Mom to suspend life on Earth, freezing it until the thirtieth century?"

"Everything would still be different, silly, because you'd still be alive." She looked at her brother's profile in the glow of her nightlight; his face was pale and his jaw clenched. Her heart sounded loud in her chest when she realized why he was so scared. "You still will be, you know. I don't believe for even one millisecond that fate, or destiny, or whatever, thinks you should die in order to put things back the way they're supposedly meant to be."

Seiya smiled slightly then. "I'm the pebble in the pond," he said.

"You're what?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Just something Dad said to me the other day about dropping a stone into water and waiting for the ripples to subside. I've been trying to decide ever since then if I'm the stone or one of the ripples. But now I definitely think I'm the pebble."

"And even taking the stone out of the water doesn't change the fact that the ripples happened." When Seiya looked at her in surprise Chibiusa laughed. "Luna said basically the same thing to me the other day, and I knew right away that you were that bloody pebble."

Another week passed by with nothing eventful happening. Usagi went back to work, unable to justify taking any more time away from the classroom. But she found herself almost constantly worrying that it was too quiet. She had even started to doubt that Mamoru's Daimon detection system was functional, and he didn't disagree with her. They both felt a little better when Ami reported that there had been no other unusual cases that looked like heart attacks at any hospital in the city, but Usagi couldn't let go of her concerns. What if there had been recent victims, but they had died before getting to a hospital? There was only one way she could think of to get that information, so on the Saturday after she had returned to work Usagi went to the local police headquarters and sought out her brother.

Shingo Tsukino had gone off to university with a passion for science and engineering, determined to pursue those fields. The course of his life changed abruptly when, midway through his second year, his best friend was brutally murdered. With a newly discovered desire to administer justice he had changed his studies to criminal and forensic science and never looked back. He was currently the head of the criminal investigation section of the local station. If anyone would be able to answer her questions it was him.

Shingo was surprised to see his sister, and even more surprised by her question. "Unexplained deaths that looked like heart attacks?" he repeated, incredulous. "Why in the world are you curious about that?"

Usagi fidgeted in her chair across the desk from her brother. She had kept her true self a secret from her parents, and from Shingo, for so many years that it was almost second nature, but occasionally she would be brought up hard against the fact that she consistently lied to them. Now was definitely one of those occasions.

"Would you accept it if I told you I can't really explain?" she asked, looking hopeful.

Shingo scowled. "Not really," he replied, but he turned to his computer and entered in the search parameters. After a moment he turned back to Usagi. "In the last week there was only one unattended death, and the autopsy confirmed that it was, in fact, a heart attack. That's all." He crossed his arms on the desk and regarded his sister seated across from him. "You can't explain, or you won't explain?"

Usagi blushed and dropped her eyes. "A bit of both, but mostly won't," she said. "I'm sorry, but -"

She got no further with her apology because an alarm on her watch started to sound, shrill and loud. Her heart skipped a beat and then started to pound, her blood roaring in her ears. Without another word she leapt from her chair and bolted from her brother's office and out of the station.

Not too far away Chibiusa and Mizuki were out, enjoying the beautiful weather in the outdoor shopping district. They had both come to a halt to admire a dress in a shop window when Chibiusa suddenly tensed and whipped her head around, glancing about. "What?" Mizuki asked. "What's the matter?"

Chibiusa shook her head. "Can you feel it? Something's wrong."

Just then screams started to sound from around the corner. The two girls stood for a moment, frozen, before they were galvanized into action. They ran off, dropping the bags that contained their recent purchases, and sped along the street until they found the source of the uproar. It was in an open, pedestrian only, area that was thronged with people. Everyone was pushing and shoving in an effort to get themselves clear and out of the danger.

Suddenly a clear line of sight opened and Chibiusa saw what had frightened everyone. A woman lay on the cobblestones, unconscious. About a foot above her body floated a brilliant, multi-faceted crystal, it's glow undimmed by the brilliant sunlight. And beside her was a park bench, writhing and moaning for all the world as if it had come to life.

Mizuki had stopped short. "What the -"

She got no further. Chibiusa grabbed her by the shoulders, spun her around and shoved her towards a shadowed alcove between two storefronts. "Hurry!" she whispered, her hand going to the front of her shirt and clasping her locket. "Transform, NOW!"

Once outside the police station Usagi called her husband.

"I know, my alarm went off as well," Mamoru said. "I'm trying to pinpoint the location now." The tap of computer keys could be heard in the background. "Got it! I'm sending the location to your phone right now; it should be easy to find since I linked the warning system to the phone's GPS."

Usagi hung up without even saying good-bye and pulled up the GPS function. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw she was less than five blocks away and broke into a run. She hadn't stayed on the phone long enough to know for sure, but she felt certain that Mamoru would make his way there as quickly as possible. She debated about calling Seiya but decided to save her breath for running.

She had gone just over one block when another body careened into hers from the pathway between two houses. She felt strong hands on her shoulders, preventing a fall, and recognized that grip. Her son grinned down at her. "No time to explain," he said, grabbing Usagi's hand and pulling her along behind him. "Usa's in danger; I can feel it."

Seiya set such a rapid pace that Usagi soon had no thought for anything but keeping up with him. She shoved her phone into her son's hand, trusting that he would quickly figure it out and get them to the location in time to stop whatever was happening. She'd think about how he could feel his sister's danger later.

In no time at all, it seemed, they turned a corner and were confronted with a chaotic, and frightening, scene. Chibiusa knelt beside the body of an unconscious woman, doing her best to protect the fragile heart crystal until it could be returned to its body. She was being jostled constantly as the terrified crowd continued its efforts to escape.

"VENUS CRESCENT BEAM!" A blinding light streaked across their path, causing both Usagi and Seiya to shrink back as Mizuki's attack shattered against the park bench, doing no apparent damage.

Usagi ran to her daughter. "Help Venus!" she shouted to be heard over the panicked cries of the crowd. "I'll take care of this!" Chibiusa struggled to her feet, her hand already going to her tiara. Usagi didn't spare another thought for the fight, though. She gently cradled the heart crystal between her hands and brought it close to the woman's chest, releasing her held breath when it sank back into its owner.

"MERCURY AQUA RHAPSODY!"

That shout, and the accompanying sound of rushing water, brought Usagi to her feet. The strangely alive park bench appeared to stagger under the newest onslaught, giving everyone time to draw breath. Ami quickly rushed forward and dragged the heart snatching victim out of the way of further harm. That movement, unfortunately, drew the bench's attention and seemed to give it a new power; it reared back like a horse and then released a burst of energy.

Chibiusa was caught directly in this latest attack and collapsed, her transformation coming undone as the others watched. Usagi quickly grabbed her brooch to transform and fight in her daughter's place, but she never had the chance. So fast that he almost seemed inhuman Seiya rushed to his sister where she had fallen and pulled her locket from around her neck. Still on his knees beside Chibiusa he raised the hand that held the locket.

"SILVER CRYSTAL POWER!"

There was a moment pf paralyzed stillness, as if the entire universe held its breath, before the locket in Seiya's hand began to glow. The entire plaza exploded with a dazzling, silver light, so bright that it hurt the eyes. There was an unearthly scream as the bench writhed in its death throes, then it disintegrated into nothing.

Quiet descended on the plaza, and Usagi opened her eyes, blinking rapidly to try and dispel the orange spots that clouded her vision. Close by she saw Ami helping Mizuki to her feet; the young girl looking scared and shaken. And beyond them, beside his sister, Seiya lay unconscious, his hand still tightly clenched around the locket.


	8. Chapter 8

Ami came down the stairs from Chibiusa's bedroom, a stethoscope around her neck and her medical bag in her hand. Usagi and Mamoru waited in the hall for her, each pacing opposite the other. When they heard her steps on the floor they both came forward, dozens of questions ready on their lips.

"She's fine," Ami said before either of them could speak. "Not a thing wrong with her, physically."

Usagi caught the tone in Ami's voice. "If there's nothing wrong with her physically then what, exactly, is wrong?"

Ami sighed. She had hoped this wouldn't become an issue. "Like I said, physically she's fine. I can't say what might be going on her mind. Something definitely is, though, because she's exhibiting all the signs of being in a dream state, even though she's not actually asleep." She looked past her friends to the doors further down the hall. "Now I'd like to check on the other patient." They both moved aside to let her through, and she walked past with a small nod.

When Ami had disappeared into Seiya's room Mamoru took his wife in his arms. She relaxed into his embrace and he felt her breathe a sigh of relief. "I'll sit with Chibiusa," he said, pressing a kiss to Usagi's temple. "You take care of Seiya." Usagi nodded and moved away, stopping at her son's door to look back. She gave Mamoru an encouraging smile before turning her attention to Seiya and Ami.

He was conscious, awake and fretting. He was also red with embarrassment as Ami conducted a thorough examination. Usagi bit her lower lip to keep from grinning at her son's discomfort, and Seiya sent a pleading look his mother's way.

"Mom, I'm fine," he said, trying to pull his shirt closed again. "Can you please call off the watchdog?"

Usagi ignored him. "Ami?" she asked.

Ami packed her implements back into the medical bag. "He's fine," she said. "He might have a headache for a while because he bumped his head when he fell, but that's about it." She grinned at Seiya. "No sign of concussion with that hard head. Still, keep an eye on him for the next twenty-four hours. Any sudden dizziness, nausea or cognitive problems call me right away." She walked out of the room, laying a comforting hand on Usagi's arm. Her friend acknowledged the gesture with a smile and then entered the room, sitting down on the edge of her son's bed.

"So," Usagi said, giving herself a pause as she tried to think how to broach the subject.

"I don't remember much," Seiya said, answering his mother's unspoken question.

"What do you remember?" she asked, looking him directly in the eye.

Seiya thought for a moment. "I remember meeting up with you in the street and then running to the shopping district. I remember Venus almost taking our heads off with her Crescent Beam attack. I saw Usa collapse, and then. . ." He gave a shrug. "That's about it, really.

"You don't remember what sent you out to find your sister?" Usagi asked. When Seiya shook his head she continued. "You told me that you could tell she was in danger. How?"

"I just. . . It was the strangest feeling," he replied, closing his eyes. "Like a shiver up my spine, making the hair on the nape of my neck stand up. And I could hear my blood pounding in my ears, and it was almost a voice in my head, telling me that Usa was in danger and needed my help."

Usagi nodded, trying to cover up her surprise. She was irresistibly reminded of a time long ago, before she and Mamoru had learned the truth about the other's secret identity. She had asked him, as Tuxedo Kamen, how he always knew to come to Sailor Moon's aid. His description of the blood roaring in his ears was too similar to what Seiya had just described to be a coincidence.

But how? Seiya and Chibiusa had never been close, certainly not close enough to form that sort of bond. They had fought and scrapped and argued with each other virtually all their lives, never seeming to care how the tension between them affected others. Until recently, that is. Could that be it? Together they had decided that their fighting could only damage the work that they all, as a family, needed to do. Had that made a new bond between them possible?

"Mom, what are you thinking?"

Usagi gave her head a shake and forcibly pulled her thoughts back to the present. She smiled at her son. "And you don't remember anything that happened after Chibiusa collapsed?"

Seiya shook his head. "Not a thing. Why, what happened?"

Usagi told him. By the time she was finished his eyes were huge in his face and his mouth hung open. "How?" he asked in a whisper. "How could I have controlled the Silver Crystal?"

"I don't know, Seiya. But we're all going to find out. Together."

Mamoru sat at his daughter's bedside, reassured by the steady rise and fall of her breast. As long as she was breathing everything would be okay. He also detected the signs that Ami had spoken of. One of Chibiusa's hands rested on top of the blanket and every few moments it twitched, as if she were trying to grasp something, and her forehead was creased in a slight frown. It did indeed look as if she were bothered by nothing more than a disturbing dream.

Eventually the weeks of worry and the occasional sleepless night got the better of him and he felt his eyelids drifting closed. The hypnotic regularity of his daughter's breathing didn't help, and before he was even aware of it Mamoru had slipped into a light doze, his chin sinking down to his chest.

_Endymion._

He jerked awake, his head coming up so quickly it felt like his spine was wrenched out of place. Blinking the tiredness from his eyes he looked around, noting the familiar surroundings of Chibiusa's room. There was no one there but him and his daughter, so that voice whispering his seldom heard name must have been a dream.

_Prince Endymion._

_He was standing in the courtyard of a vast temple, the weight of a sword heavy at his hip and armor pressing down on his shoulders and across his chest. A long cloak floated behind him as he walked along a rose-shrouded path, his footsteps echoing loudly. He had been here once before, and knew where to go to find answers._

_He stopped short, though, when he saw who was in the heart of the temple. He had expected to see its guardian priest, but the last person he had thought to see there was his daughter. She appeared to be deep in conversation with the priest, her face turned up toward him and her eyes never straying from his. Mamoru was about to call out to the pair when each extended a hand toward the other, a soft golden glow between them._

"_Terra Crystal Power!"_

_The words were barely audible but their effect was immediate. The golden light between Chibiusa and Helios exploded outward, enveloping the two of them. Mamoru flinched away from the light, his eyes tightly closed. . ._

He was back in Chibiusa's bedroom, his daughter still lying unconscious on the bed. He blinked rapidly, surprised to find that his vision was normal and not effected by the powerful light he had just seen.

_A vision_, he thought to himself, sighing. He stood up, rubbed his face and walked to the window. _But a vision of what? And why?_

"The story is still unwritten."

Mamoru spun back to the bed. That whisper had been Chibiusa's. He reached the side of her bed in time to see her eyelids flutter and then lift. She blinked once, twice, and then her eyes focused on his face.

"Dad?"

He smiled and took one of her hands in his. "Who else?"

She tried to sit up then, but her face quickly wrinkled in pain and with a loud groan she collapsed back onto the pillow. She lifted her hand and covered her eyes, shielding them as if the light was painful. "What happened?" she asked.

He slid back into the chair. "I'm not really sure, to be honest," he said. "What do you remember?"

"A woman," Chibiusa replied, closing her eyes. "She'd had her heart crystal removed. At least I think she did, based on what you and Mom told me." Her eyes opened again. "And a park bench that was somehow alive."

Mamoru nodded; it gibed with what Usagi had described to him, but clearly Chibiusa had no idea of events after she was caught in the Daimon's attack. "The park bench being 'alive" is what happens when the Daimon is absorbed by something. That's how it can attack people and get a hold of heart crystals."

Chibiusa gave her father a weak smile. "I kind of figured that," she said. "It makes sense, after all." She struggled to sit up, wincing again at the pain in her head, but this time she didn't lay back down. "I know that Mom arrived on the scene, and I remember Mercury attacking. Then an enormous burst of some sort of energy, and nothing. It's a blank after that."

"I'll let your mother tell you the rest," Mamoru said, rising from the chair as footsteps were heard on the stairs. A moment later Usagi appeared, grinning when she saw her daughter was awake and sitting up. She quickly took the chair her husband had vacated; he gave her shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving the room.

At the bottom of the stairs he leaned against the wall, closed his eyes and tried to call the vision back. It was no use; the reality of it was fading fast. Not the memory, though. That would linger for a long time. And was that explosion of golden light a good thing or a bad thing for Chibiusa? With a sigh he opened his eyes and pushed away from the wall, knowing that he would keep this to himself until he understood more.

Back in her daughter's bedroom Usagi watched as her husband hurried down the stairs, as if eager to escape the room. A part of her mind wondered what could be bothering him, but she knew that Chibiusa was more important at that moment. She focused her attention on her daughter and was pleased to see that Chibiusa didn't look puzzled or confused, but rather curious to know what had happened.

Chibiusa smiled. "Dad said you'd tell me the rest."

Usagi grinned in return. "The rest, huh? Presumably from after you blacked out."

Chibiusa nodded. "I remember Mercury's attack and then that flare of energy. That's the last of it."

Usagi didn't reply right away, not sure how to broach a subject that was sure to upset and agitate her daughter. With Seiya it had been different; his first reaction was curiosity, wondering how it could have happened. Chibiusa was likely to view what happened in a negative light, as some sort of slight on her abilities as Sailor Moon. And to be angry that Seiya had saved the day, which boded ill for the fragile truce existing between brother and sister.

"Mom?"

Usagi shook her head to clear it, bringing her attention back fully. "Sorry. Just thinking about how to tell you what happened." She took her daughter's hand. "I don't want you to get upset."

"Why would I get upset?"

Usagi told her what had occurred in the plainest terms possible. When she got to the part about the Silver Crystal responding to Seiya Chibiusa's only reaction was a widening of her eyes. There was silence for a long minute when Usagi stopped speaking.

"Is he okay? And is Mizuki? What about the heart snatching victim?" Chibiusa spoke so quietly that her mother almost missed the questions.

Usagi blinked back tears and squeezed her daughter's hand. She should have known better; that Chibiusa's first reaction would be concern for the safety of the people involved. If she was upset or angry it wasn't coming out just yet.

"Everyone's fine," she said, a catch in her voice betraying her emotions. "Seiya has a pretty nice lump on his head from when he blacked out but other than that. . ." Her voice trailed off and she met her daughter's eyes, seeing understanding in their depths.

Chibiusa smiled. "I'm glad no one was hurt," she said. With a sigh she lay back down on her pillows. "I think I need some rest. I'll decide what I think and how I feel about the rest of it tomorrow."

Breakfast the next morning was eaten in almost complete silence. Chibiusa was subdued and withdrawn while Seiya's face had the tight, pinched look he always wore when he had a headache. Usagi was tempted to make a fuss over both of them but held back, remembering what her husband had said to her the previous evening.

"They both have a lot to think about and come to terms with," Mamoru had said. "We need to give each of them the chance and wait until they're ready to talk about it."

Usagi had agreed, but it was difficult to follow through with the plan in the light of day. Especially without Mamoru at the table, his presence serving to keep her steady. He had gone in to his lab, a most unusual occurrence for a Sunday. But considering the rapidly escalating situation perhaps not so strange.

As she stood up to clear her dishes from the table she saw a look pass between Seiya and Chibiusa, so she wasn't surprised when the two of them disappeared out of the house together shortly after the clean up. She resisted the urge to follow them, if only to keep the peace. She had to trust that they could work things out just between the two of them.

Neither of them spoke on the short walk to the neighborhood park. As expected it was empty; most of the families in the area were known for staying close to home on Sundays. It was the one place, and the one time, that they knew they could have a completely private conversation.

Chibiusa sat in one of the swings while Seiya leaned against the pole nearest her. She didn't look at her brother as she pushed against the ground with her toes, setting the swing in motion. "Thanks for understanding," she finally said. "That I didn't want to talk in front of Mom, I mean."

Seiya snorted. "Not hard to figure it out," he replied, moving to the swing next to hers. "I wasn't eager to have this chat in front of her either."

"So you know? What happened yesterday?"

Seiya shrugged. "I know some of it," he said, carefully looking anywhere but at his sister. "Most of it I only know what Mom told me. I honestly don't remember."

Chibiusa struggled against a grin. "You honestly don't remember saving everybody and proving every negative thing I've ever said about you false?"

He turned towards her then, an answering grin on his face. "Don't push it, Usa. Besides," he went on, looking away again. "I didn't really save everybody. Or at least I didn't have to. Mom would have taken care of that."

"Why did you rush into the fight?" Chibiusa asked. "You just said it yourself; you didn't have to."

"I don't know," Seiya replied, standing up and beginning to pace. "I still don't even understand what drew me there. I was sitting at home, perfectly peaceful, when I was overwhelmed with a feeling that you were in danger. Next thing I knew I was out the door."

"And taking my locket?"

"I understand that even less," he admitted, stopping in front of Chibiusa and meeting her eyes. "I saw you collapse, and your transformation coming undone. I didn't think, I just acted." He laughed then, but without humor. "Believe me, I was surprised as anyone when Mom told me that the Silver Crystal reacted to me."

Chibiusa nodded, accepting her brother's words, but with her mind racing at what it all might mean. From what their mother had told her the crystal's reaction to Seiya had been far beyond anything she had ever been able to generate. And her determination to accept her brother for whatever he might become was still too new for that thought not to rankle.

"It bothers you, doesn't it? The idea that I might have more control over that damned thing than you do," Seiya said, his hard voice breaking in to her thoughts.

Chibiusa sighed and stood up, surprised at having to look up to her brother's face. When had he gotten so tall? "I'd be lying if I said no," she replied. "And I think our truce precludes lying to each other." She started to walk off, back toward the house. "Besides," she called over her shoulder, "I've gotten some pretty sound advice from a couple of people recently."

"What kind of advice?" Seiya asked, catching up and walking at her side.

"The kind that says I should just accept you as you are, and as you might become."

"Could you do that even if it meant you would no longer be Sailor Moon?" Seiya asked, putting her darkest thought into words.

Chibiusa glanced up at her brother. "I don't know about that; you'd look awfully silly in the outfit." He shot her a look that made her grin, but then she grew serious again. "I honestly don't know if I could accept that," she said, staring off into the distance. "But I can make you a promise that I'll try."


	9. Chapter 9

Later that night, as she prepared for bed, Usagi had time to reflect on all the things that had happened the day before. Her mind was still reeling at what she had seen her son do. But another part of her, a part that she knew she couldn't ignore, was insisting that it wasn't over yet. And what mainly concerned her was what might have happened inside her daughter's mind while she was unconscious. Usagi had had visions of her own during times of crisis; she couldn't help but wonder about Chibiusa.

When Mamoru's hands came to rest on her shoulders she nearly jumped out of her skin. She met his eyes in the mirror and saw he was grinning. He bent and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"I called to you, but you were sunk so deep in thought you didn't hear me," he said. "What's on your mind?"

Usagi smiled sadly. "What do you think?"

Mamoru gave her shoulders a squeeze before moving away. "Chibiusa and Seiya," he said. "You can't spend all your time worrying about them. "You have to trust that they can work together and figure this out."

Usagi sighed, stood, and slid into bed. "I know. They've already made a start."

"How do you know?"

She gave her husband a significant look. "They went to the park this morning."

"Ah," Mamoru said. It was a single syllable full of understanding. He sat on the bed beside his wife. "So do we agree to leave them alone to try and work themselves out?"

Usagi extended her hand to be shaken. "Agreed."

"Now that that's settled would you like to hear how I spent my day?" Mamoru asked as he moved to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

"Not if it involves the sort of technical jargon that gives me a headache."

"No technical jargon, but I did manage to arrange a meeting with Aaron Henderson."

"WHAT?" Usagi exclaimed, leaping from the bed and racing to Mamoru. "Why? And why without consulting me?"

Mamoru took her hands in his, rubbing the back of one hand with his thumb. "We can't afford to waste any more time," he said, meeting her eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't talk to you first, but we need to act. Yesterday's attack proved that they're one step ahead of us."

"Whoever they are," Usagi muttered. "We don't even know that for sure."

"Then this will be a chance to eliminate Henderson from consideration. We can't wait, Usako. Waiting could be fatal."

Remembering the previous day, and watching her daughter and son collapse, Usagi could only agree.

Three days later Usagi had an early meeting at the school so she was out of the house before the children even awoke. Both Chibiusa and Seiya expressed unflattering surprise when they came downstairs and saw their father in the kitchen making breakfast.

"What?" he asked, mildly irritated at their dumbfounded expressions. "It's not like I've never cooked before."

Seiya grinned and slid into his accustomed seat. "True, but I think the last time it happened I was about six." He grunted as his sister jabbed the back of his head before sitting down.

"I'm sure breakfast will be fine, Seiya," Chibiusa said, giving her brother a wink. "After all, how much can anyone ruin scrambled eggs?"

Mamoru was on the verge of asking how she knew that was what he had made when he saw the two of them stifling laughter. He couldn't hide his own grin. "OK, fine. You've had your laugh at my expense." He dropped two plates in front of the teenagers. "Now eat."

For a while the only sound was forks scraping on plates and the crunch of toast as they ate, but Mamoru was aware of every glance being cast his way. Most of them came from Seiya, but he waited until all of them were done eating before opening the subject. He was standing at the sink and could feel two sets of eyes burning a hole in his back.

"Out with it, one of you, before you both explode."

There was a hurried, whispered conversation, and what sounded like a scuffle involving elbows behind him before Seiya spoke up.

"We can't help but wonder why you're here at this hour," he said. "Usually you're already at work when we get up." There was a grunt which Mamoru guessed was another elbow from Chibiusa. "Not that you owe us an explanation," Seiya continued, his voice sounding slightly pained.

"But you and Mom did promise to talk to us more," Chibiusa added. "You said it was important that we know things."

Mamoru poured himself another cup of tea and sat at the table before replying. "So I did," he said, addressing Chibiusa's comment. "Which is why I'll tell you both exactly what I'm doing today. I'm meeting Aaron Henderson."

They were both too stunned to speak for a moment, but Chibiusa recovered quickly. She swallowed audibly before saying "The number one suspect?".

"Why?" Seiya asked.

"Because we can't continue to speculate and do nothing about finding out who, exactly, the enemy is. What happened this weekend showed us all that." Mamoru took a deep breath before continuing. "Either this meeting gives us more reason to suspect Henderson -"

"Or it clears him of all suspicion," Seiya finished his father's thought, Chibiusa nodding in agreement.

"Exactly."

"But can you really learn enough in just one meeting to decide either way?" Chibiusa asked, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

Mamoru shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But it's worth a try, I think. And your mother agreed."

Seiya nodded. "I agree; anything that you can learn will make it worth the attempt." He glanced at his sister, who was staring at her hands clasped together on the tabletop. "Usa?"

Chibiusa looked up and met her father's eyes. "If I don't agree will you not go through with it?" she asked.

Mamoru stared at his daughter, surprised at the worry in her face. He reached out and laid his hands on top of hers and shook his head. "We can't let the chance go, no matter what. I know you're worried, but I need you to understand." He smiled slightly. "You don't have to like it, just understand why it needs to be done."

Seiya laid a hand on her shoulder, and Chibiusa turned to look at him. He smiled and nodded, and she understood him without a need for words. He didn't like it anymore than she did. She glanced back at her father. "I don't like it," she said. "But I won't object."

Seiya rested one of his hands on the entwined hands of his father and sister. "I'm glad that got settled quickly," he said with a grin. "It was nearly making us late for school!"

An hour later Mamoru left the house, giving himself plenty of time to negotiate his way across town to the hotel Henderson was staying at. He decided to stop by his own lab and bring some of his research in order to keep up the appearance that he was interested in sharing work with Henderson. He also took out the motorcycle that was rarely used anymore; it would get him through traffic much easier than the car. He'd have to accept the possibility that Henderson might think little of him when he showed up in boots and leather jacket.

Henderson was quite the opposite, however. When Mamoru was ushered into his suite with his helmet tucked under one arm the American expressed interest in the bike and talked about how he owned a 1948 Indian motorcycle.

"Although I don't have many opportunities to ride," he said with a sigh. He moved across the room and stared out of the window for a few moments. "But I don't imagine you came to see me to discuss motorcycles," he continued, turning around and coming back to the chair across from where Mamoru sat.

"Not really," Mamoru replied with a smile. "Although it is a subject I enjoy discussing. But I'm more interested in some of your recent genetic research."

"Genetic research?" Henderson asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice and face. "I have to admit that is the last thing I expected you to say. You're not a geneticist, after all."

Mamoru managed to keep himself from asking how Henderson knew his specialty. Obviously the man had learned all he could about his visitor. Mamoru tried not to think about how thorough Henderson's research on him may have been, taking a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again.

"I'm not a geneticist, no. But the firm I work for has been heavily involved in a variety of genetic topics over the years." He took a deep breath, ready to plunge into the true purpose of his visit. "In fact, the main reason I wanted to meet you was I recently noticed a large number of similarities between your work and studies that were done by Souichi Tomoe about twenty years ago."

"Tomoe?" Henderson asked, steepling his fingers in front of his face. "I'm not familiar with the name," he continued, a slight smile crossing his face. "But twenty years ago I was in medical school, so it may have just passed me by."

Something in that smile made Mamoru seriously doubt Henderson's word, but he kept that to himself. "I'm not surprised you never heard of him or his research; it wasn't exactly mainstream. In fact he ran into a few bits of trouble on more than one occasion and was eventually ostracized from the scientific community."

"Really?" Henderson asked, looking shocked. "And you say that some of my research is similar? Should I look forward to being blackballed?"

Mamoru shook his head. "I doubt it; times have changed in twenty years. What was outside the pale when Tomoe was working is business as usual today. Especially the experiments into combining genetics and cybernetics."

That strike hit home; Henderson's jaw dropped and his eyes widened in genuine shock for a brief moment before he pulled himself together. "How do you know so much about Tomoe's research, anyway? Considering genetics isn't your specialty I'm surprised you'd have any interest in it."

"My firm has had custody of Tomoe's records for years," Mamoru replied. That was the most telling statement; if Henderson had been involved in the disappearance of those records Mamoru knew that he had just given his knowledge of the theft away. "I also had a personal experience with one of Tomoe's failed experiments years ago."

"Really?" Henderson commented, sounding bored. His eyes said he was anything but, though, and Mamoru felt a chill wrap around his heart as all his suspicions of this man were confirmed. He stood up then, suddenly desperate to be out of the room.

"I've taken up enough of your time," he said, forcing an apologetic note into his voice. "I'm sure you have more than enough to do for the upcoming conference." He jerked his head in a slight bow of acknowledgement, bending to retrieve his helmet from where it rested on the floor between his feet.

Henderson stood as well, accepting the apology. "I'll not deny that I am busy," he said. "But if you're interested why not come to my presentation tomorrow evening? And the dinner I'm hosting afterwards? I have a pair of extra tickets," he went on, crossing the room to the desk and pulling an envelope out of the center drawer. He handed it to Mamoru while keeping hold of it himself. Their eyes locked. "I look forward to the chance to meet your lovely wife."

The chill around Mamoru's heart dropped down to his stomach, and he had to exert all his self-control to not snatch his hand away from the envelope as if it burned. When Henderson let go of it Mamoru slid the envelope into one of the pockets of his jacket. "I'd be honored to attend," he said, meeting the other man's eyes again. "Until tomorrow evening, then."

"No way in hell am I going to that presentation," Usagi said the next day. "Even without Henderson's creepy reference to me when he gave you the tickets I'm sure it'll be full of all the scientific and technical references that do nothing but give me a headache. I'd be bored stiff within five minutes."

Seiya held up his hands when his father glanced his way. "Don't look at me; I've got that school project due next week and I'll be up to my nose in work." Although his voice sounded somewhat regretful his grin was the exact opposite; Mamoru had to repress the urge to childishly stick his tongue out and instead turned to his daughter.

The look on her face almost made him burst out laughing. She was clearly making a concerted effort to think of an excuse and just as clearly having no luck. When she met her father's eyes and saw the laughter he was struggling to contain she threw her hands up in surrender.

"OK, fine! I'll go." She exhaled a gust of air that lifted her fringe and crossed her arms over her chest. "I suppose two sets of eyes on Henderson are better than one."

"Not to mention a second opinion on the man himself," Seiya added, giving his sister a look of admiration.

"Yeah, well, I don't know how useful my opinion would be," Chibiusa said, a grudging smile curving her lips.

"I wouldn't worry if I were you," Mamoru replied, standing and giving his daughter a hug from behind her chair. "You've seen too many things in your short life to be fooled by the likes of Henderson." He grinned. "Assuming, of course, that he is out to fool us."

"Always assuming that," Usagi said, sounding rueful. "But his reaction to your mentioning experiments that combine genetics and cybernetics would seem to transform assumption into likelihood." She stood and crossed the kitchen. "I'd better get something cooking so you can at least be fed before you leave." She pointed a wooden spoon at her husband. "You're not keeping her out late for that black tie dinner on a school night!"

Even with Usagi's warning it was nearly eleven o'clock when they managed to get away. They had stayed for part of the pre-dinner reception, but both Mamoru and Chibiusa had grabbed onto the school night excuse to avoid staying longer. They were walking through a downtown plaza on their way to the train station before Mamoru asked his daughter what she thought about the evening's events.

Chibiusa made a face. "I didn't understand a word of that presentation," she said. "But I definitely got the feeling that Henderson likes toying with people and doing things to shock them. He gets a rush off of it." She shuddered slightly. "He's power hungry and thinks he can be a god. Not a good combination in someone who plays with DNA."

Mamoru smiled, but it looked more like a grimace. "I agree. And by meeting him today and coming to his presentation we've definitely tipped him off. He knows we'll be watching, so we'll have to be that much more careful and vigilant."

Chibiusa sighed. "Vigilance would be easier with three more guardians," she said, sitting on the edge of a nearby fountain. "Four, if Seiya is meant to be one as well."

"What do your instincts tell you about that?" Mamoru asked.

She shrugged. "Nothing, really. But we can't ignore the fact that he used the power of the Silver Crystal, and much more effectively than I ever have."

"Does that bother you? That he got more of a reaction from the crystal?"

"Of course it does! I'd hardly be human, or an overly critical big sister, if it didn't! But. . ."

"But what?" Mamoru prompted when she didn't continue right away.

Chibiusa was quiet, thinking. Then she squarely met her father's gaze. "Dad, do you know anything about an old temple and its connection to the ancient Earth Kingdom?"

Mamoru tried, unsuccessfully, to conceal his surprise at her words, but held up a hand to forestall any comments from his daughter. "Why are you asking this? And why now, of all times?"

"The other day, after that fight, I had a dream while I was unconscious. Or a vision. I was in that temple with its guardian priest. There were flowers everywhere, all around us. Red roses. It felt familiar, like I had been there dozens, if not hundreds of times. And the priest. . ." Her voice trailed of and a blush stained her cheeks. "He told me that the bond between us still exists and that I would be seeing him again." She blinked rapidly and gave her head a shake. "See him again? That was the first time I've ever seen him! And what bond?" She laughed without humor. "It makes no sense."

Mamoru had thought he was past surprise by this point in his life, but he was wrong. If it was Helios she had spoken to in her vision, and there was no reason to doubt that, it meant that whatever had changed the destiny of his entire family had not had an effect on the priest of Elysian. As far as Helios was concerned this Chibiusa was the same as the one he had known before. Or perhaps the altered destiny had effected him but the connection between the pair of them transcended that - an eternal bond; was, is, and always will be.

But then Mamoru remembered something from his own vision of the temple. "This priest," he began, coughing to clear his throat. "Did he say anything to you about a Golden Crystal?"

Chibiusa glanced aside at her father. "No. Why would he?" She laughed. "It's bad enough I have to deal with the Silver Crystal. No you're telling me there's a Golden Crystal out there as well?"

He didn't answer, just smiled as if he was sharing the joke with her. But he couldn't shake the memory of the golden light that had filled his vision of the temple, or the words someone had whispered immediately before that light had exploded outward.

Terra Crystal Power. Earth Crystal Power.


	10. Chapter 10

She could smell the croissants baking before she even opened the door, but the bakery seemed awfully quiet for a Saturday morning. Only one table was occupied when Usagi went in, but not by a customer.

"Motoki!" she called out and approached the table.

He looked up from the laptop on the table in front of him and smiled in welcome. "Usagi!" He stood and pulled out a chair. "What brings you to this part of town on a Saturday?"

Usagi slid into the chair. "Nothing special," she replied. "Just checking in on Makoto. I haven't seen her in a while." She looked around the small eating area. "Where is everybody today?"

"I think the threat of bad weather is keeping people away," Motoki said, resuming his seat and turning back to the laptop. "I thought I'd use the quiet to get caught up on the bookkeeping." But instead of working he studied Usagi.

"What?" she asked, starting to feel uncomfortable under his scrutiny.

"You haven't seen Mako in a while," he said. "She wasn't with you last Saturday when. . ."

"You know about that?" Usagi asked, surprised.

Motoki nodded. "Ami told us what happened. Trying to keep Mako and Rei informed."

"What else did she tell you?" Usagi asked, feeling disgruntled.

Motoki smiled and went back to work. "You know where to find Mako."

Recognizing the dismissal for what it was Usagi stood and made her way to the kitchen. The tantalizing scents grew stronger, and so did the heat coming from the ovens. She could hear mumbling, then the clang of metal on metal and a loudly spoken expletive. Cleary Makoto was not having her best day.

Usagi took her handkerchief out of her pocket before pushing open the door to the bakery's kitchen. She waved the white piece of cloth. "I come in peace!" she called out, leaning forward to see around the edge of the door.

Makoto stood in front of a line of ovens, two baking pans at her feet and croissants scattered across the floor. She was flushed from the heat and had flour smeared on one cheek. She was also not happy.

"Damnit! I finally get the chocolate proportions just right and I end up dumping them on the floor." She turned towards her friend. "Well, don't just stand there! Help me clean this mess up!"

Between the two of them the kitchen was quickly put right, and they even managed to salvage four of the chocolate croissants. Makoto made tea and they sat down to enjoy her latest creation. As she sipped her tea Usagi became aware of her friend's expectant gaze.

"Don't give me that look," she said. "I know that Ami already told you the whole story."

Makoto laughed. "True, but I'd still like to hear it from you."

So Usagi told the entire story, beginning with her visit to her brother at the police station. By the time she was finished all of the salvaged croissants had disappeared and the tea was nothing but dregs in the bottom of the pot. Makoto swirled the pot around, studying the patterns made by the leaves. Finally she looked up at met her friends eyes.

"You're confused," she said, watching Usagi closely for her reaction. "Confused and scared for your children."

"Wouldn't you be?" Usagi asked. "Everything I've ever expected to happen with Chibiusa and Seiya has been turned completely upside-down and inside-out. I don't even know what to think."

"Well, if you're looking for answers you're in the wrong place. There are only two people on the planet that might know what's what."

Usagi frowned. "I know, but I was hoping to avoid talking to them. If I know Luna she'll figure out a way to make this all my fault."

Later that day Usagi caught up with Luna at the local farmer's market. The older woman was surprised to see her old friend, but not averse to accepting help in getting her purchases back to the shrine. Artemis met them at the front door of the house and took the produce into the kitchen while Usagi and Luna went to the comfortable sitting room.

"So," Luna asked as she sat and tucked her feet beneath her. "What brings you all the way out here? Not that I'm not pleased to see you, but I usually see more of your daughter."

Usagi smiled. "Is it so surprising that I still need your guidance on occasion?

"Not surprising," Luna replied with a grin. "Just unexpected."

Artemis rejoined them then, carry a tray with glasses of fruit juice. He sat beside his wife and studied Usagi for a few moments. Apparently satisfied he gave a nod. "It must be something very important to bring you for our advice," he said, taking a sip of juice."

"Believe me, it is," Usagi said, and then, for the second time that day, found herself relating the entire story of the battle on the previous Saturday. "Chibiusa had been knocked out and de-transformed, and none of the other attacks had any effect," she said, shuddering with an echo of the fear she had felt that day. "But Seiya controlling the Silver Crystal. . ." Her voice died away and she shook her head. "I still can't believe it happened." She looked from Artemis to Luna. "How?"

Luna looked concerned. "It shouldn't have been possible," she said, her brow creased in a frown. "It's just. . . It can't have happened!"

Artemis laughed. "How can anyone know whether it's possible or not?" he asked. "Seiya is the first male child born into the Moon Kingdom, so it's not like the subject has ever come up before."

Usagi looked from Artemis to Luna, and then back again. "The first?" she asked. "Ever? As in forever ever?"

"Yes, as in forever ever," Artemis answered then looked at his wife, who was still frowning. "It shouldn't be such a surprise, though. Seiya is unquestionably a child of the Moon Kingdom, and as such he should be able to access the power of the Silver Crystal."

"But use the power to the extent that Usagi described?" Luna asked. "And child of the Moon Kingdom or not you know he can't be a sailor warrior, simply because he is male. Chibiusa is meant to follow her mother as Sailor Moon. That is one destiny that could not have been changed."

Usagi glanced from Luna to Artemis, aware of a new tension in the room. She could tell by the look on Artemis's face that he didn't agree, but didn't think it was the best time to press the issue. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens with that," she said, her voice sounding unnaturally bright as she changed the subject. "And honestly right now I'm more worried about Mariko, Rio and Akemi."

Luna snorted and shook her head. "As much as they may think so Ami, Rei, and Makoto are not doing their daughters any favors in keeping the truth hidden."

Artemis nodded; on this point they were in perfect agreement. "It'll be much harder when the three girls finally do awaken."

The three of them talked for a while longer, until the topic of the three still slumbering senshi was exhausted. When Usagi left Artemis walked with her to where her car was parked. He didn't say anything, but Usagi knew he wanted a private word with her, away from Luna.

When they arrived at her car she unlocked the door then turned to look Artemis squarely in the face. "You disagreed with your wife," she said, smiling slightly.

"What else is new?"

Usagi shook her head. "This time was different. I don't think you guys have ever disagreed about anything related to the sailor warriors and the battles to protect the Earth. So what did she say that hit a nerve?"

Artemis met Usagi's eyes for a long moment before turning his gaze to the sky. "Luna's blind spot has always been thinking that being a sailor warrior and a planetary guardian is one and the same. She tends to dismiss the idea that a person can be one without being the other."

"Like Mamoru."

"Exactly," Artemis said, nodding firmly and dropping his gaze back to meet Usagi's eyes. "I think she's wrong to dismiss what Seiya did." He took Usagi's hands in his. "Don't make the same mistake. I think it'll have significant consequences for us all."

Usagi studied Artemis' face for a few moments, then an inkling of his meaning became clear to her. Her eyes widened. "Do you think. . ."

Artemis shook his head and smiled. "I don't think anything," he said. "Call it more of an instinct. But I'd keep a steady eye on that son of yours if I were you."

As she drove home Usagi continued to mull over the implications of what Artemis had said, and what he didn't say. In the past if she had been pressed she would have said that she fully expected her son to be one of the guardians, and she would have assumed that he would follow his father. But now. . .

At home she was withdrawn and quiet all through dinner to the surprise and consternation of her children and husband. It didn't take long for Chibiusa and Seiya to retreat to their bedrooms in an effort to escape the uncomfortable atmosphere. Chibiusa gave her father one long, critical stare before she left. He knew that she wanted him to continue to keep quiet about her vision, and she equally knew that he couldn't do that.

As soon as the sounds of the children clattering up the stairs faded Mamoru went to where his wife was staring blankly at the open laptop. He laid a hand on her shoulder as he closed the computer, kissed her cheek and then sat beside her.

"This is the first chance we've had for a quiet talk and you're completely distracted," he said with a gentle smile. "I've got a few things to tell you that you'll need to pay attention to."

"I'm sorry," Usagi said, reaching out and taking his hand in hers. "I've got a few things to tell you as well, but you go first. You've probably been holding it in since Thursday evening."

Mamoru's smile changed in to an all-out grin. "True, I have been keeping it bottled up. And if it were up to your daughter I still wouldn't be telling you." And he proceeded to tell his wife everything he had learned about the vision Chibiusa had had while unconscious, ending with "A part of me thinks we need to tell her about Helios and the bond that once existed between the two of them, but I'm still reluctant. I feel like it's just one more burden for her to carry."

Usagi was thoughtful for a few moments. "Well, if you remember I always wanted to tell her the _entire_ truth, and I don't see how we could possibly justify keeping it a secret any longer. Some part of her is tuned in to Helios now, and that connection will only get stronger." She got up and poured each of them a cup of coffee, leaning against the counter as she sipped hers. "What I don't understand, though, is how Helios apparently remembers everything from before. Why didn't destiny change for him as well?"

Mamoru shrugged. "If I had to guess I'd say that being in Elysian sheltered him from outside events to an extent, which means he probably isn't aware that this Chibiusa is a different person." He was tempted to tell Usagi about his own vision, but held his tongue. The time wasn't quite right for that to enter the equation. "Now, what is it that you have to tell me?" he asked. "I'm going to guess that it's something to do with Seiya and how he used the Silver Crystal, because when you came home you had that I've-had-a-talk-with-Luna look on your face."

Usagi laughed. "There's a look that tells you that? Well, it's right, I did have a chat with Luna and Artemis."

"And?"

"And as usual Luna more or less lectured me like I was still a fourteen year old girl."

"Hence the look on your face."

"Yes. Hence." She told him the substance of her conversation with both Luna and Artemis. "Luna insists that there's nothing to concern ourselves with. She didn't go so far as to say that Seiya controlling the crystal was a fluke, but she definitely implied it. She insists that Chibiusa is the Moon Kingdom heir and meant to be Sailor Moon."

"I'm sure Seiya will be relieved," Mamoru replied, a hint of mischief in his smile. "I don't think he would have enjoyed being known as the pretty sailor soldier of love and justice."

Usagi stuck out her tongue, then laughed. "To be honest I never enjoyed it all that much either. But. . ."

"But?" Mamoru prompted.

"I didn't just talk to Luna and Artemis together," she said. "I had an interesting private conversation with Artemis as I was leaving. And what he didn't say was a hell of a lot more interesting that what he did."

"Meaning?"

"He made a point of reminding me that one can be a planetary guardian without being a sailor warrior, and said that Seiya using the Silver Crystal will have consequences for us all."

"Ok, the first point is a given and I agree on the second point," Mamoru replied, looking confused. "I'm not seeing the interesting, though."

"Aren't you?" Usagi asked. "I think Artemis thinks - although he'll deny it with his dying breath - that Seiya is actually the heir of the Moon, not Chibiusa."

"So what is Chibiusa supposed to be?"

"I don't really know, but I think the best guess would be the heir to the Earth; your heir. Sailor Earth."

Mamoru managed to keep from visibly flinching, but now the words from his own vision no longer seemed so crazy.

The next morning was the exact opposite of the previous Sunday. Instead of being pale-faced and quiet both Chibiusa and Seiya were energetic and full of spark. Instead of feeling a need to lean on each other they started sniping and quarreling, leading their father to essentially throw the pair of them out of the house.

"You'll either learn to get along or you'll murder each other!" Mamoru shouted as he flung open the door. "I don't care which, just stop this nonsense arguing!" And he slammed the door shut behind them, breathing heavily. When he heard a noise behind him in the hall he held up a hand to forestall whatever Usagi planned to say. "I know, I know," he said, turning to face his wife. "That was a bit much."

Usagi grinned. "Actually, if you hadn't have done it I would have," she replied, stepping into the curve of his arm and resting her head on his shoulder. "I don't think I could have dealt with any of that today."

Mamoru hugged her close, pressing a kiss to her temple. "What else do you have planned for the day?" he asked, guiding her back to the living room and cuddling together on the sofa. "Must be something major if the bickering could have put you off your stride."

Usagi sighed and pulled out of the embrace far enough to see her husband's face. "It is major. I didn't tell you everything that I talked to Luna and Artemis about. Today I need to tell Rei, Makoto and Ami that their daughters can no longer dwell in happy ignorance of their destinies. We need them too much."

"Did Luna and Artemis tell you that?"

"Not exactly, but they certainly didn't argue with me." She looked at Mamoru, slightly puzzled. "You're not arguing with me either," she said, sounding suspicious.

He sighed and released his hold on her, shoving a hand through his hair. "Believe me, I don't like it," he said. "I don't think forcing the girls into their roles is a good idea, but things are about to start moving a lot faster, and we may need every ounce of power if a fight comes."

"That's what I thought as well. Of course, this whole thing could backfire and blow up in my face when I tell Ami, Makoto and Rei. I just hope that they've come to the same conclusion."

Three hours later found Usagi climbing the stairs to the Hikawa Shrine, feeling an invisible weight grow heavier on her shoulders with each step. As much as she knew it was necessary she dreaded what she was about to do. Protecting the Earth and saving the universe was all well and good, but it hardly gave her the right to interfere in how her friends raised their children. The only thing that kept her going was the knowledge that things might be that much worse if the younger guardians were surprised by the truth. Surprised in the worst possible way, and at the worst possible moment.

One other thing helped also. Chibiusa had been surprisingly understanding and agreeable on the whole subject. "I don't see that we - any of us - have a choice at this point," she had said. "We either force the issue with Rio, Akemi and Mariko or we lose the expected battle. Two bad options."

Two bad options indeed. And no way out except to just get it over with.

When she arrived at Rei's office inside the shrine she was surprised to see Luna there. The atmosphere inside the room was tense, and as Usagi glanced around she figured out why. Ami, Makoto and Rei all looked slightly angry and resigned, none of them meeting her eyes. Minako sat in the corner, doing her best to be invisible, but she met Usagi's gaze with the briefest of nods. The beans had already been spilled.

"So, are we all on the same page?" Usagi asked after drawing a deep breath.

Surprisingly it was Ami who stood and spoke up. "Yes, we are. Not by choice," she declared, looking at Luna with a mutinous expression. "But we won't keep the secret any longer."


	11. Chapter 11

"So, what do you think?"

"About what?" Chibiusa asked, not looking up from the orange she was peeling.

Mizuki gave a frustrated sigh and snatched the orange from her friend's hand. "Cut it out," she said, sinking to the ground to sit beside Chibiusa. "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"OK, fine. I do know. What difference does that make?"

"Come on, Usa!" Mizuki exclaimed, starting to peel the orange to give her hands something to do. "This is a big deal; you can't not care about it." The orange was peeled and she broke it in half, handing a share to Chibiusa. "I know I care. I can't believe that Mom and the others have decided to force this, instead of waiting for it to happen in its own time."

Chibiusa toyed with the orange before biting into a slice. "We can't afford to wait for it to naturally happen. I know that, but that doesn't mean I agree with this plan."

Mizuki lay back and crossed her arms beneath her head. "I wonder how they'll react," she mused, her eyes drifting closed. "I can't imagine Mariko or Akemi completely freaking out, but Rio. . ." She sat up quickly, flinging her unbeaten orange away. "What if Rio rejects this like she's rejected everything else her mother wants? What'll we do then?"

Chibiusa stood up and brushed the grass and leaves off of her skirt. "It doesn't matter what Rio, or any of them, think. They don't really have a choice; the heart and soul of a guardian will awaken no matter what." She shrugged. "The only question is whether or not you accept destiny gracefully or fight it tooth and nail."

"What are you fighting tooth and nail this time? Or should that be who?"

Chibiusa turned all of her attention to the remains of the orange in her hand to avoid answering. It was the worst luck in the world that Mariko had found them in the middle of this conversation, of all things.

"Oh, you know Usa," Mizuki replied, waving a hand and looking as casual as possible. "She's always fighting with her brother."

Mariko looked at Chibiusa's bowed head and then back at Mizuki. The expression on her face clearly showed that she didn't believe either Mizuki's act or her answer, but she didn't press. Instead she took a seat on the grass, picked up a leaf and began twirling it in her fingers. "You two sure spend a lot of time together away from everybody else since Mizuki came home," she said, flinging the leaf away. "Does that have anything to do with what our mothers are supposed to tell us this evening?"

Mizuki replied to Mariko's question in her usual joking fashion but Chibiusa barely heard it. She was tired of lying to her friends and feeling guilty for the years of keeping such an enormous secret. Her hand went to the collar of her blouse and her fist clenched around her locket; she was tempted to transform then and there and put an end to the whole charade.

The bell to return to class rang, startling her out of her thoughts. He hand dropped back to her side, but not before Mizuki noticed. Mariko walked ahead of them back towards the building and Mizuki grabbed Chibiusa's arm, halting her. "You can't give in, not now," she whispered. "Hold on for just a few more hours."

Chibiusa wrenched her arm from Mizuki's grasp. "Don't you ever feel guilty?" she asked, her voice pitched low but with an unmistakable angry edge. "You've always known, even before you awakened as Venus. All those years of lying and hiding; doesn't it get to you?"

Mizuki sighed. "Of course I feel guilty," she whispered. "But I won't let it run my life. Not now, not ever. Especially not now, with so much happening and at stake. And I'd suggest you adopt the same attitude, if only to save your sanity."

Chibiusa looked towards the school building; she could still see Mariko as she approached the doors. She blinked several times, clearing the angry tears from her eyes. When she looked at Mizuki again it was to see a worried expression on her friend's face. She laid a hand on Mizuki's sleeve. "You're right," she said, smiling slightly. "And I know just how to do it." And she started to walk away from the school.

"Where are you going?" Mizuki called out after her.

Chibiusa grinned over her shoulder. "To see a man about a cat!" she shouted in reply before breaking into a run and disappearing around the corner.

The bus ride across town took longer than usual. By the time Chibiusa arrived at the shrine she was fairly certain that her mother knew where she had gone and had already alerted Luna and Artemis. So much for a surprise visit, she said to herself when she saw Artemis standing in the archway that led to the garden. He was clearly expecting her; his first words confirmed that.

"Your mother called," he said, looking stern. "Your head teacher is angry and considering disciplinary action, so I hope you have a very good reason for this visit."

"Where's Luna?" Chibiusa asked, looking past Artemis.

"She went to the market." Suddenly Artemis grinned. "I answered your mother's phone call and I sent Luna out with a specific food request. A _very_ specific request. She'll be gone at least two hours."

"Why?"

Artemis turned and walked into the garden, taking a seat in one of the chairs at the koi pond. "Because I had a feeling you wouldn't talk as freely in front of her," he replied, gesturing to the chair beside him. When Chibiusa sat he continued. "Apparently Mizuki told your mother an abridged version of the conversation the two of you had before you ran off."

"And that told you that I wouldn't want to talk to Luna?"

"Pretty much so, yes." Artemis sighed. "You have concerns about revealing the truth to your three friends; Luna believes that the only way we can fight this new enemy is if the three of them know and accept their destinies. And, let's face it, my wife is not one for reconsidering once she's made a decision."

"You mean she's stubborn beyond belief and convinced that she's always right," Chibiusa said with a slight smile.

Artemis grinned. "I was trying to be nicer than that, but essentially, yes. That is what I meant." He grew serious again and gave Chibiusa a searching look. "But I think there's more on your mind than just that. What else has happened?" When she didn't answer right away Artemis laid a hand on her arm. "Or should I guess?"

"Do you think you could?" Chibiusa asked, blinking against the tears that were threatening. Artemis had been absolutely right in thinking that she could not have handled a conversation with Luna. His quiet sympathy, understanding, and lack of judgment were exactly what she needed. Luna would have just made her angry.

"Of course I can guess! I may not be right, but I can always take a shot." He rested his head against the chair back and closed his eyes, extending his long legs. "We've already established that you don't like forcing the truth on your friend's, so there's no need to belabor that point. I'm going to guess that you're bothered by what happened when Seiya saved the day; namely you're worried about what happens to you now that your brother seems to be awakening his powers."

Chibiusa scoffed. "Why would I be worried about that? And who says he's gaining any powers? He used the Silver Crystal once. Once. Big deal."

"And did more with it that one time than you've ever done in - what is it now? - seven years of using it?" Artemis said quietly, without moving or opening his eyes. He waited for his words to sink in before he went on. "You might want to work on your disdainful reaction and scoffing sounds," he said, the corners of his mouth twitching. "It wasn't very convincing."

"Fine!" Chibiusa replied, rising from her chair and beginning to walk in circles around the pond. "Yes, it bothers me! The Silver Crystal is supposed to be the symbol of the heiress to the Moon Kingdom. Meaning me. And I can't use it's power to do anything but transform! So what does that say about me as the Moon Princess?" She stopped walking and abruptly sat on the edge of the pond. "What does it mean for who and what I am?" she asked in a whisper.

"It is a puzzler," Artemis replied, standing and moving to sit beside her, taking her hand in his. "And I don't have an answer, but I would encourage you to remember one thing."

"What?"

"You are just as much, if not more, your father's daughter."

"Meaning?"

Artemis sighed. "I'm going to tell you what I didn't tell you mother the last time we talked, although she probably guessed what I was thinking." He looked Chibiusa squarely in the eye. "In this world, the one that was created by the altered destiny, you might not be the one who follows your mother as the guardian of the Moon. That may be Seiya's destiny."

Chibiusa raised an eyebrow. "So where does that leave me? Am I just supposed to sit back and -" She stopped talking suddenly and Artemis saw the comprehension in her face. "My father's daughter," she whispered. "But that would mean I'm the guardian of Earth."

"Would it?" Artemis asked with one raised brow. "You're right, it more than likely would mean exactly that." He smiled and shook his head. "A Sailor Soldier of the Earth," he mused. "There's never been such a thing; in all of history the guardians of Earth have always been men."

"Maybe that explains something else that's been bothering me."

"You mean there's more?" Artemis asked with an exaggerated sigh.

"Shut up!" Chibiusa swatted his arm and laughed, but quickly grew serious again. "That day, when Seiya used the Crystal, I ended up unconscious. And while I was unconscious I had a dream, or a vision. I'm not sure what. But I was in a temple of some sort with its guardian priest, and he told me that the bond he and I shared was a strong as ever. It didn't make any sense at first, but when I told my father about it. . . Well, he didn't say much but his reaction was quite informative." She looked Artemis squarely in the eye. "That temple was connected to the ancient Earth Kingdom, wasn't it? And I am bound to that priest as Sailor Earth."

"Possibly," Artemis replied, careful to keep his voice steady and not betray that his mind was racing with all of the possibilities. "Unfortunately I'm not the person to ask. Those are question best answered by your parents." When Chibiusa just stared at him he sighed and went on. "There are certain things about the altered timeline that they haven't told you. When Seiya was born it seemed obvious that destiny wouldn't unfold as expected, so we all decided that certain things didn't matter anymore."

"I'm guessing that you're all seeing the error in that assumption now," Chibiusa said with a black look.

Artemis grinned. "Probably, but it's still something that your parents need to tell you about." he glanced at his watch. "But that'll have to wait, since you, and your mother, have something more important to do this evening, correct?"

Chibiusa hesitated outside the door of the old Crown Fruit Parlor, the place that had been the favorite hangout of her mother and her friends during their teen years. She knew what was waiting for her inside and despite knowing how important it was she was still reluctant to meet it head-on. She glanced in the front windows, quickly scanning the place, then let out a sigh of relief. She was actually the first one there; she'd have time to gather herself for what was sure to be the coming storm.

She sat on the steps, content to sit in peace for a time, since she knew that peace was sure to be shattered before too much longer. She tried to empty her mind and focus on simply being, but her worries and concerns refused to be corralled. One in particular kept popping to the surface; she was no longer certain who's reaction she dreaded the most.

Even just a day ago she would have said Rio was the main problem. Rio, with her apathetic attitude and need to rebel against everything that mattered to her mother. It seemed certain that she was the most likely to react badly to the revelation that she was a soldier, a guardian of love and justice, destined to protect the planet. But now Chibiusa wasn't so sure.

"What's got you in such a black mood?"

Chibiusa looked up at the familiar voice and just managed to keep from grimacing. It was as if her thoughts had conjured up reality, for Rio stood a couple of steps down from where she sat, an eyebrow raised and an expectant look on her face.

"I'm not in a black mood," Chibiusa replied, not quite meeting Rio's eyes. "I'm just trying out a new meditation technique."

"Uh huh," Rio said, looking skeptical as she sat beside her friend. She didn't argue the point, though, for which Chibiusa was grateful. She simply stared forward, into the glare of the setting sun. The pair sat in that companionable silence for a while before Rio spoke again.

"Do you know what this whole get together is about?" she asked, startling Chibiusa out of the almost-doze she had slipped into. "I asked my mother but she wouldn't tell me anything."

"You asked your mother?" Chibiusa blurted out before she could stop herself. She blushed fiercely when Rio shot her a look. "Sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that," she continued. "I guess I've just gotten used to you and your mother barely speaking that it took me by surprise."

"Yeah, well, it took Mom by surprise as well."

Chibiusa bit her lip to stifle her laughter until she caught a glimpse of Rio's face. The two girls laughed until they had to lean against each other for support, wiping tears from their cheeks. It had been a long time since they had shared a moment like that.

"But back to my question," Rio said after taking a couple of deep breaths to calm herself. "Why, exactly, are we here this evening?" She met her friend's eyes. "You know, Usa, I can tell."

Chibiusa was spared the need to make a response when she caught a glimpse of her mother approaching, followed by Mariko, Akemi and Mizuki. The other girls' mothers brought up the rear, and even from a distance the apprehensive looks on the faces of Rei, Ami, and Makoto were clear. Minako looked calm, but then she always did. When her mother lifted a hand in greeting Chibiusa rose to her feet, a tentative smile on her lips.

And was quickly knocked off of her feet by a blast that shook the entire street, shattering glass and knocking streetlamps askew. Chibiusa's fall knocked her into Rio and the two girls fell down the steps, bouncing painfully along, blinded by a searing light and choking on dust. When she recovered her senses Chibiusa saw Mizuki hovering over her, helping her rise to her feet.

"Are you all right?" Mizuki asked, her face pale. When Chibiusa nodded her friend gripped her hand tightly. "We have work to do," was all she said before she started running toward the disturbance. Her mother followed swiftly after her, then Usagi, Ami, and Makoto.

Chibiusa stayed behind, helping Rio to stand. She gave the other girl a shaky smile. "You wanted to know what all of this was about," Chibiusa said, tugging her locket free of her blouse. "I didn't want you to find out like this." She stepped away from where Rio stood with her mother's arm wrapped around her shoulders. "MOON CRYSTAL POWER MAKE UP!" There was a flash of light that caused Rio, Mariko and Akemi to flinch and then blink rapidly to clear their vision. Rio was the first to recover, and what she saw left her slack-jawed in shock.

It was Chibiusa, but not. It was her lifelong friend as Rio had never seen her before. Her clothes had changed and her hair had re-arranged itself into the odango style she had always worn when they were younger. But the biggest change was in her demeanor; she was no longer just a sixteen year old girl out with her friends, but instead a powerful and determined young woman. If pressed Rio would have said that goddess wasn't too strong a word for what her friend appeared to be.

And then she ran off in the same direction the others had taken. Rio let out the breath she had been holding and tried to pull away from her mother, but Rei held fast. She turned her daughter to face her. "There's more you need to know but we haven't time now," she said. She thrust a red and gold pen into her daughter's hands. "Take this," she commanded as she pulled a similar red and gold wand from the inside pocket of her jacket, and then Rei was gone as quickly as all the others.

Rio looked to where Akemi and Mariko stood, looking as confused as she felt. Anger at her mother's cavalier dismissal of her began to grow, and her hands balled into fists. As soon as her hand clenched around the pen she felt a strange warmth flood her body, spreading outward from her heart. Out of nowhere a wind swirled around her, lifting her hair away from her face. She caught a glimpse of Mariko and Akemi looking shocked before her vision was obscured by the roar and flash of flames surrounding her.

When she could see again Rio noticed that Akemi and Mariko had fallen to the ground, shocked expressions still in place. Mariko lurched to her knees, her eyes never straying from her friend. "Rio, you. . ." Her voice died away.

The warm feeling from before had intensified, as hot as a fire but without burning. It swelled inside of her, and for a moment Rio fought against it. But when it threatened to overwhelm her she gave herself up to that power and rode it like the crest of a wave. When she came back down she could see her friends had tears in their eyes.

"I. . ." she began, not quite knowing what to say. She glanced down at herself, at the fiery red of her skirt and the deep purple bow across her chest. Her hands, in pristine white gloves, unclenched and relaxed at her sides. "I am the warrior of fire and passion," she said, not knowing where the words came from. "The guardian of the Red Planet." There was a moment of absolute silence. "I am Sailor Mars."*

_*This speech is taken from Luna's description of Sailor Mars in the new English translation of __Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon__ (Act 3 Rei, Sailor Mars), published by Kodansha Comics._


	12. Chapter 12

It was hours later, and long past dark, before they all managed to catch up with each other at the Hikawa Shrine. Usagi was the last to arrive, having wanted to make sure that Chibusa was safe at home before she did anything else. Her mind was still reeling from the earlier events of the evening and worry about her daughter dogged her every step.

Although worry was a fairly mild term for what raced through her heart. Out-and-out terror would not be too far off the mark. Once again Chibiusa's powers had failed her in the middle of a fight. Fortunately she hadn't collapsed like the first time, but there had still been a moment of absolute horror for her mother as she watched attacks fail and finally Chibiusa's transformation had disappeared, leaving her vulnerable.

The explosion outside the Crown Fruit Parlor had been caused by an uncontrolled burst of Daimon energy in the nearby transit station, resulting in numerous injuries and every single newspaper and magazine in the station's kiosk coming to life and attacking people. When she had arrived on the scene with Ami and Makoto Minako and Mizuki had already transformed and were fighting, but they were on the verge of being overwhelmed.

Usagi didn't remember much about the fight that ensued once they were all together; her attention had been focused on her daughter's difficulties and on protecting Chibiusa as best as she could. But one thing she did remember, vividly. Rei had used her ofuda attack to good effect, but it wasn't enough to stop the mass of Daimon-controlled items in the station. The other senshi were preparing to combine their powers when a burst of purple-ish fire had filled the station, incinerating everything but the people inside.

When the smoke had cleared the first sight that met Usagi's eyes was Rei, on her knees and looking towards the station's exit with a shocked expression on her face. When Usagi looked the same way she had seen the same purple fire, only it seemed to be retreating. It had shifted and curled, wrapping around something unseen. Then, with a last flash of light it disappeared, sinking into the person who had been at the center of the firestorm.

It was Rio, taking her place as a new Sailor Mars.

_And now it's time to find out how Rio is reacting to what happened_, Usagi thought to herself as she reached the top of the steps. She paused for a moment to appreciate the peaceful silence that always seemed to be a part of the shrine, for she was fairly certain there'd be little peace once she was inside the house. Rei and Rio were a combustible mixture at the best of times, which this assuredly was not.

So when she slid open the door of the hallway that led to the bedrooms Usagi was surprised at the silence that greeted her. For a moment she wondered if anyone was there, but then she heard muffled voices coming from the end of the hall. She had taken a couple of tentative steps in that direction when a hand came out of a door, grabbed her, and pulled her inside. She swallowed her instinctive cry when she saw Makoto's grin.

Usagi tugged her arm free of her friend's grip. "Okay, I get the hint," she said, smiling. "But I still want to know what's going on!"

"The girls are all together in Rio's bedroom," Ami explained. "We thought it best to leave the four of them to hash it out."

Usagi nodded in agreement. Right now it was probably best if Mizuki did whatever explaining was necessary. She glanced across the room to where Rei sat, her tense posture at odds with the calm expression on her face. "How's Rio?" she asked.

Rei started out of her thoughts when Usagi spoke to her. "She's fine, physically." She stood up and moved across the room, resting her hands on the back of the desk chair. "Emotionally exhausted and confused, of course." Rei's grip on the chair tightened, the flesh across her knuckles turning white.

Usagi looked to Minako, who shook her head slightly. They all held their tongues, knowing that whatever battle was going on in Rei's heart and mind was one that their friend needed to fight on her own. The silence lengthened and deepened, and Usagi was on the verge of breaking it when with a shudder Rei released her grip on the chair and abandoned all pretense of calm.

"What do I do now?" she asked, her voice rising, the growing panic unmistakable.. "What do I say? How do I justify keeping this a secret from her for so long?"

Ami and Makoto both looked away, and Usagi could see a flush creeping across Ami's face. She knew that the two of them had the same dilemma; explaining to their daughters why the truth had been kept from them. When she spoke she was answering the question in all of their minds.

"You can't justify it," Usagi said, aware that her reply sounded harsh but unwilling to sugarcoat the reality. "None of you can. You can only apologize and go forward from here." She moved across the room and laid a hand on Rei's shoulder. "Now is the time for all of you to have a little faith in your daughters."

Are you sure you feel up to this, Rio?" Mizuki asked, concerned for her friend's welfare. "I don't want to do anything to make you feel worse.

Rio grinned ruefully and shifted position, settling the pillows more comfortably against her back. "The only thing that will make me feel worse right now is not getting answers to my questions. So spill."

Mizuki glanced at Akemi and Mariko but knew she'd get no support from them. And in all honesty she didn't expect it, as the three girls deserved every answer she could provide them. For a moment she wished Chibiusa was there to help her tell the story, but then she remembered the troubles the other girl was having with her powers and had to suppress a shiver. _Usa has enough on her mind right now_, she told herself. _The least I can do is take this concern off of her shoulders._

Her other three friends were looking at her expectantly, so with a shake of her head and a deep breath Mizuki launched into the long story of the Moon Kingdom, the Sailor Guardians, the past battles to protect the Earth, and the current struggle that was still unfolding. By the time she was finished the hour was late and her voice was hoarse from all of the talking. Neither Rio, Mariko, nor Akemi had interrupted her once. She closed her eyes and waited for the storm of questions that was certain to strike.

But no one's voice sounded, and after a long moment Mizuki cautiously opened one eye. None of her three friends was looking at her; Rio was still on her bed but had swung her feet to the floor and she sat in silence, turning her transformation pen over and over in her hands. Akemi and Mariko were both staring at the floor, not meeting anyone's eyes. Mizuki was too surprised to speak.

Finally, after what felt like hours Mariko raised her head and looked directly at Mizuki. "We're meant to fight also, aren't we?" she asked, pulling the green and gold transformation pen that her mother had given her from her pocket and holding it lightly in the palm of her hand. "All of us - the daughters of the five Guardians - follow our mothers and will, eventually, take their places. Right?"

Mizuki nodded in response, not trusting herself to speak in a moment that was fraught with emotion. As she watched Mariko slowly clenched her fist around the pen until her knuckles whitened. A breathless moment passed as all four girls waited for something - anything - to happen. Then Mariko opened her hand and the pen fell to the floor with a clatter. She raised stricken eyes to Mizuki.

"Why?" she whispered. "Why didn't anything happen?"

Mizuki shrugged. "I don't know," she replied in all honesty. "Perhaps you need the stress of a fight. . ." Her voice trailed off.

"Or getting pissed off at your mother," Rio put in. When everyone looked at her she blushed and shrugged her shoulders. "It worked for me."

Mizuki shot Rio a glare but didn't pursue the issue any further. She only hoped that the strained relationship between Rio and her mother would not make things worse for the rest of them now that Rio had her powers. Things were bad enough with the uncertainty about Chibiusa.

Chibiusa was just as concerned as her friend and her mother. Probably more so. Unlike the previous incident, when she had been unconscious, this time she remembered the entire thing; how her powers had faltered and eventually failed, how her mother had protected her when she was vulnerable. And, most especially, how Rio had burst onto the scene in an appropriate blaze of glory.

Even with everything else weighing on her mind that memory made Chibiusa smile. She knew that the difficult relationship between mother and daughter could still cause problems, but it was hard to dwell on that after having seen Rio awaken as Sailor Mars. And her power had been a sight to behold. She was so pleased at how that part had worked out that she even, for a while, forgot the still lingering concerns of Akemi and Mariko.

Chibiusa slipped out of her bedroom shortly after her mother left her alone, thankful that Usagi had gone. Her mother's worries were doing nothing but increasing her own, and she wanted time alone to think. She paused at the top of the stairs, listening intently. She heard her father's voice, and then Seiya replying. They were both downstairs and likely to stay there for some time, so with a sigh of relief she made her way to the window at the end of the hall, the only place in the house that gave access to the roof. And above that window was a small ledge, just large enough for one person.

She sat on the ledge, hugging her knees to her chest, and looked up at the moon. It was approaching full and seemed to fill the night sky. Or maybe it was just her awareness of what she might be losing. Not just her powers as Sailor Moon, but her place as the heiress of the Moon Kingdom. Without that who and what was she expected to be?

_You are just as much, if not more, your father's daughter._

Artemis' voice sounded in her head, repeating the words he had spoken to her earlier that day. It was a timely reminder; she had been on the verge of sinking into a morass of self-pity. She dropped her eyes from where the moon hung in the sky and gasped in shock.

She was no longer sitting on the roof of her parents' house, but in a garden surrounded by red roses. The pathway beneath where she sat was paved in pale stone that gave off a faint golden glow. In the distance she could see a building with a domed roof and a colonnade of sorts across the front. It looked vaguely familiar, but she couldn't have said why.

"Welcome, Princess."

Chibiusa started and surged to her feet, stumbling slightly. She stood for a moment, gathering her wits, before she turned to face the source of that comment.

She wasn't surprised to see the young man from her previous vision standing before her, but on this occasion she took her time and studied him, committing everything she could about the experience to her memory. He was taller than her by a few inches, but at a guess her age or not very much older. In a striking contrast to his apparent youth was the stark white hair that covered his head and fell in a wave across his forehead. She took a deep breath.

"Welcome to where, exactly?" she asked, pleased that her voice sounded perfectly normal.

Her companion smiled slightly. "To Elysion, of course," he replied with a bow. "The temple of the Earth."

Chibiusa nodded as if the answer was exactly what she expected, but her mind was racing. The temple of the Earth? And he had addressed her as "princess". Was Artemis right? Was she more her father's daughter than anyone had imagined?

"Elysion," she repeated, looking about her before returning her gaze to the young man beside her. "And you are?" she asked with a lift of an eyebrow.

The slight smile from before turned into an all out grin, and then he started to laugh. "I knew that things had changed outside my little world," he said. "That destiny had been altered. But I didn't think it would be so bad as to eliminate me completely!" His grin faded as he took a step closer to her, took her hand and went down on one knee in reverence. "I am Helios, the guardian priest of Elysion, and therefore of the Earth Kingdom." He touched his forehead to her hand for a brief moment, then rose to his feet.

"I am pleased we have this opportunity to talk," Helios went on, moving past Chibiusa and walking toward the building she had noticed. "I imagine you have dozens, if not hundreds, of questions."

Chibiusa jogged a couple of steps to catch up with him. "Of course I have questions!" she exclaimed. "You probably won't be allowed to answer most of them, though."

"What makes you say that?"

Chibiusa snorted. "That's always how this sort of thing works. 'I know you have questions, but I just can't answer any of them. When the time comes you'll learn the truth, but that time isn't now.' Something like that."

Helios laughed again, and Chibiusa was struck by the sense of calmness that grew in her at the sound. "I promise you that I'll do my best to answer any question you might have," he said. "I'd hardly be playing fair otherwise."

"Playing fair? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that I know considerably more about this entire mess of altered and tangled destinies than you do," Helios replied, turning suddenly serious. "It wouldn't be fair for me to keep all of that knowledge to myself, now would it?"

"I suppose not." They walked in silence for a moment before Chibiusa spoke again, asking the question that pushed itself to the forefront of her thoughts. "Am I destined to give over my place as Sailor Moon and become the Sailor Guardian of Earth?"

Helios' mouth twisted in a rueful smile. "I just finished promising I would do my best to answer your questions and the first one you ask is one I can't answer." He held up a hand to forestall Chibiusa's indignant reply. "Can't because I don't know the answer. I said I know more about the altered destinies than you do. I don't know everything."

"Fat lot of good that is," Chibiusa said, sounding disgusted.

"It can't be helped," Helios replied. "When the outcome can be effected by other people's decisions or actions things get a little blurry, and what your brother chooses will have a large impact on what happens to you."

"So basically what you're telling me is I need to wait and see."

"Trite, but correct." Helios took her hand in his and they walked on in silence. Dozens of thoughts and questions were boiling in her brain, but Chibiusa felt the same calmness overtake her that she had felt when Helios had first laughed. His hand was warm where it clasped hers, and her awareness of that fact caused a blush to steal across her cheeks. She remembered her previous vision, and the bond between them that he had spoken of. Was this feeling a part of that?

Helios heard his companion swallow with an audible gulp and suppressed the urge to smile. He had a feeling as to what was causing her nervousness, and could have predicted the next question she would ask to the letter.

"I. . ." Chibiusa coughed and started again. "I had a vision, before. Of this place, and of you." She glanced at the young man beside her and caught the expression on his face. She snorted. "You know all of that, of course. You gave me that vision, didn't you?" When he nodded she half turned away from him, tugging her hand free and crossing her arms defensively across her chest. "So you know what I'm going to ask about. Why not just answer it?"

He stepped closer to her and took her chin in a gentle grasp, turning her face so their eyes met. "Come with me," he whispered.

Chibiusa let him take her hand again and followed as he led they way to the temple. It was cool inside the structure, but not dark. The stones that made up the walls seemed to glow with light from within, but as they walked deeper into that sacred place Chibiusa realized that the golden glow was coming from only one source. She dropped Helios' hand and stepped forward, rapt.

The Golden Crystal floated about three inches above the pedestal . A snowdrift of red and white rose petals surrounded the base, their scent hanging heavy in the air. The light from the crystal waxed and waned, and it took Chibiusa a moment to realize that it was pulsing in rhythm with her heart.

"Why the white rose petals?" she whispered, voicing the first question that entered her head.

Helios rested his hands on her shoulders and drew her back, holding her against his solid warmth. "The white roses are an expression of you," he answered, his voice soft, maintaining the spell of the moment. "They only appear when you are within the temple. When you leave they'll go back to red, symbolic of your father's power."

"How do you know that? I've never been in this temple before."

"Not in your life as you know it, no. But in other lives, other worlds, you've been here many times." His grip on her shoulders tightened slightly as he turned her to face him. "This place, indeed all of Elysion, recognizes you, no matter what has changed in the outside world. You are bonded to it, and it to you. Can't you feel it?"

Chibiusa closed her eyes and focused inward, on the place in her soul that held a shadow of her father's power and strength. She knelt and spread her hands inches above the temple floor. Visions flashed through her mind, of Earth and its people. She lowered her hands further and saw all those that she cared about; her father and brother laughing together, her mother, serene and beautiful. Her four best friends, all awoken to their powers and ready to stand and fight with her.

Helios knelt on the floor in front of her and covered her hands with his. "You hold the entire Earth in your hands right now," he whispered. "Everyone and everything."

Chibusa's eyes opened and she grasped Helios' hands. The visions faded. "Everyone and everything?" she repeated. "Even you?"

Helios leaned closer and brushed her forehead with his lips. "Especially me. When the time comes that you are in great need I will come."


	13. Chapter 13

Fresh baked bread. Coffee. A sweet, yet pungent, smell that suggested orange marmalade.

Makoto drifted into wakefulness, lulled by the comforting and familiar smells that seemed to fill the house. Reluctant to leave the warmth of the bed after a nearly sleepless night she drowsed, letting her mind drift where it willed. Anywhere but remembering all of the events of the previous day, she thought to herself as her eyes slowly closed. Beside her Motoki grunted in his sleep and half turned over, one of his arms coming to rest across her stomach.

Makoto's eyes snapped open, and she jerked upright. Fresh baked bread? Coffee? She slid out from beneath Motoki's arm, grabbed her robe, and padded barefoot from the bedroom, making her way to the kitchen. She felt somewhat reassured at the lack of a burnt smell, but not enough to want her daughter to continue in the kitchen unsupervised.

"It's okay; I used the dough you made yesterday. Even I can turn on the oven and get the time right to bake a loaf of bread."

Makoto felt a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I'm not even going to ask how you knew I was there," she said, taking a deep breath and enjoying the aroma of a breakfast that she didn't need to cook. "But I was sure that the intricacies of the coffee maker were beyond you."

Mariko made a sound that was suspiciously like a snort. "I looked the owner's manual up online," she replied, finally turning and facing her mother. "It wasn't exactly hard with the proper instructions."

Makoto nodded and entered the room, slipping into a seat at the table. Her daughter handed her a cup of coffee and grinned. "The marmalade is some that Mizuki brought home from her last trip to England. I've been hoarding it."

"Probably a good idea; if we kept stuff like that always within reach your father would weigh three hundred pounds."

Mariko sat opposite her mother as her grin faded. They ate in silence for a few moments while the atmosphere in the kitchen grew more tense and uncomfortable. She had taken breath, and opened her mouth, to speak on a couple of occasions, but always held back. She wanted to hear what her mother had to say first, before indulging in the orgy of accusations that were whirling in her head.

Makoto was perfectly aware of her daughter's scrutiny, and of what her daughter was hoping she'd say. Her hands were clenched so tightly on the coffee mug that she was afraid it would shatter in her grip, but still she held her tongue until she felt the tiny shift in Mariko's mood; a signal that the younger woman would now listen to what she had to say. She took a deep breath.

"I'm not going to apologize," Makoto began, her eyes fixed on her empty coffee cup. "Because frankly I don't think an apology is possible -"

"We agree on that," Mariko interrupted, a bitter tone in her voice.

Makoto briefly met her daughter's eyes before dropping her gaze again. "I can't apologize or justify keeping this from you for so many years, and I don't think you'd accept my explanation. All we can do is go forward from this point." She looked up again, her expression fierce and her eyes blazing. "But we can only go forward if you accept this."

Mariko just stared at her mother for a long moment, then slowly took the transformation pen out of the pocket of her uniform skirt. She wrapped her fingers around it and held it, counting the seconds that her mother seemed to be holding her breath. Finally she unfolded her hand and laid the pen on the table. "Accept what?" she asked, extending her finger to prod the pen. "The same thing happened last night when I held that thing. Nothing. So what, exactly, do I need to accept?"

Makoto knew that her face was reflecting the shock and surprise that she felt as she stared at her daughter. In all of the years that she had been worried about how this revelation would affect Mariko the one thing she had never considered was this - that Mariko would feel nothing when the time finally came.

Her daughter sighed and stood up. "I can see that this isn't what you thought would happen," she said, clearing the plates and cups from the table. She glanced at her watch. "I'm going to be late for school if I don't get going," she said and started for the door.

Makoto shook herself out of her shocked stupor. "Mariko, wait!" He daughter turned in the doorway, simply repeated that she was going to be late and then left the room. Makoto could hear a brief conversation between her daughter and her husband and then the front door slammed. She was half on her feet, ready to chase after Mariko, when Motoki entered the room. He shook his head.

"Don't," he said, taking the seat beside her and coaxing her back to her chair. "You can't go after her, you're the last person she wants to talk to right now."

"She told you that, did she?" Makoto asked, fighting the tears that were threatening.

Motoki pressed one of her hands between both of his. "She didn't have to, it was written all over her face."

The pair sat in silence for a few moments before Makoto gave her head a quick shake and stood. "You need some breakfast," she said, trying to remove her hand from her husband's grasp. He just held tighter.

"Mako, sit down," he said, giving her hand a slight tug. "Sit down and talk to me." She returned to her seat, and Motoki felt her hand tighten on one of his and saw the tears well in her eyes. He reached out with his other hand and cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek. "Tell me," he whispered.

Makoto glanced at where the green and gold pen still lay on the table. Motoki followed her gaze and his mouth dropped in shock. "She shouldn't have left the house without this," he said, releasing his wife's hand to pick it up. "What if something happens?"

The grin that crossed Makoto's face had a wry slant to it. "Nothing's going to happen." She reached out and took the pen away from her husband, then met his eyes squarely. "Nothing," she repeated with special emphasis.

Motoki looked puzzled for a moment as he glanced from her face to the pen in her hand, then understanding dawned. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words came. He shook his head slowly and silently. "Yeah, I don't know what to say either," Makoto put in, dropping the pen on the table.

"But. . . You said that Rio. . ." Motoki paused and took a deep breath to start over. "What about Akemi? Do you know anything of her?"

Makoto shook her head. "No, I don't, and I'm certainly not going to call Ami and bother her with this. It's something that Mariko needs to figure out on her own." She stood up again and this time her husband didn't stop her. "I have work to do today," she said and left the room without a backward glance.

Motoki sat for a few minutes longer at the table, turning the pen over in his hand. Then, when he heard the sound of the shower starting, he got up and went to make a phone call.

By late afternoon Motoki was convinced that at least a month had passed, and that he hadn't slept for very much of it. Stress and worry had dogged his every footstep during the day, beginning with his stop at the high school to return the transformation pen to his daughter. Mariko hadn't spoken when he placed it in her hand, but her raised eyebrow and tightly clenched jaw had been eloquent. He had bitten his lip to prevent the spirited defense of her mother that threatened to come out; he knew better than to get in between his wife and daughter on this particular issue.

The sun was high in the sky and glaring in his eyes when he arrived at his final destination for the day. His steps were noticeably slower as he approached the small shrine, and Motoki admitted to himself that this was the last place in the world he wanted to be. It was also, unfortunately, the best place to get the answers to his questions, so with a deep breath he squared his shoulders and passed under the entrance arch.

He found Artemis sitting on the low wall near the koi pond, his eyes closed and a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I managed to convince Luna to be elsewhere," he said before Motoki could speak. "I didn't think you'd talk as freely in front of her, and your phone call this morning suggested that you really need to talk."

Motoki could only sigh in relief; Artemis was completely right in thinking he wouldn't talk in front of Luna. The pair of them had long had an adversarial relationship; Luna disapproved of how much knowledge Motoki possessed of all things related to the Guardians and made no secret of that fact, while Motoki had been instrumental in Makoto's decision to keep her true identity a secret from their daughter. Any time the two of them met was a recipe for disaster, so Motoki smiled his thanks to Artemis as he took a seat alongside the other man.

"You're worried," Artemis said. It wasn't a question.

Motoki looked up at the cloudless sky, trying to gather his thoughts. Even though he knew Artemis could help him it wasn't easy to put all of his concerns into words. "I can't figure out how not to be worried," he finally said, dropping his gaze to the ground.

Artemis nodded. "It's a troubling situation all around," he said. "The Guardians haven't faced a battle like this in years. Luckily the next generation is awakening."

Motoki laughed, a cynical and self-deprecating sound. "Somehow I doubt that," he said, and before he knew it he was spilling the entire story of what had happened that morning, especially how Mariko didn't react at all when she held the Jupiter transformation pen.

Artemis was silent through the entire recitation, although his eyebrows steadily marched closer to his hairline. When Motoki finished he glanced at his companion and almost laughed at the way Artemis opened his mouth as if to speak and then clamped it tight shut again.

"You're speechless," Motoki said. "I came to you for advice that you are now incapable of giving me." He sighed heavily. "This day just keeps getting better and better."

"Not so much speechless as not sure what, exactly, I can say to make this better," Artemis replied, standing up and beginning to pace. "This is certainly a wrinkle that no one could have predicted."

"I keep trying to convince myself that it's not that big a deal," Motoki said. "Like she probably just needs some stressful, emotional kick in the ass and _BAM! _Sailor Jupiter. But it's more serious than that, correct?"

"It might be," Artemis answered, then gave his head a firm shake. "But thinking like that is nothing but borrowing trouble. These things happen in their own way, and in their own time. Mina's daughter is a perfect example; she knew about her destiny to become Sailor Venus for years before it actually happened." He sighed and smiled. "We just have to be patient; no amount of pressure is going to get Mariko, or Akemi for that matter, to become anything until the time is right."

The sun was pouring through the window when Chibiusa sat up in bed and pushed her hair out of her eyes. There were a few moments of disorientation as she fought to full wakefulness, but when she glanced at the clock she couldn't hold back a gasp of shock. She had been asleep for nearly sixteen hours.

She leapt from the bed and made her way to the bathroom, where a splash of cold water banished the last traces of sleep. She returned to her room and was thinking about getting dressed when she heard a knock so soft that for a moment she thought she imagined it. Then it came again, a little louder, and the door of her bedroom opened a crack, just wide enough for a hand to slip through. When the fingers wiggled she grinned. "You can come in, Seiya," she said.

The crack widened and another hand joined the first. This one was holding a plate with a flavored rice ball, fresh fruit and cubes of cheese. Chibiusa's stomach immediately growled and she laughed, causing Seiya to stick his head around the edge of the door. He was smiling.

"Good to know my instincts were right on this," he said as he set the plate down on the bedside table before sitting on the foot of the bed. "It would have been downright embarrassing, otherwise. Not to mention a waste of time."

Chibiusa sat beside him and reached for the plate. "I think you're giving your instincts too much credit," she commented around a mouthful of rice. "It couldn't have been too difficult to figure out I'd be hungry, considering the time." She glanced again at the clock, and then her head snapped back to her brother. "Why aren't you at school?"

A dull red flush crept up Seiya's cheeks and he looked away. "It's not like I wanted to skip school," he said at last. "I _had_ to. It was the only way I'd find out anything. And I didn't completely skip."

"How so?"

"I went to your school to talk to your gang."

Chibiusa all but choked on the cheese she had just put into her mouth. She gaped at Seiya as she tried to get her breath back. "What do you mean 'my school' and 'my gang'?"

Seiya gave a sheepish grin. "Just what I said; I went to your school to talk to Mizuki, Mariko, et cetera." He stood up and walked to the window, pushing the curtains aside so he could see out. "It wasn't easy, sneaking around and making sure Mom never saw me, but I found out what I needed to know. And learned a few things that you need to hear."

Chibiusa set the now empty plate on the bedside table and slumped back against the wall. "Mom is going to kill me," she said, her voice muffled by the hands she had pressed against her face. "Or maybe she'll kill you and just inflict grievous bodily harm on me. Either way it won't be pleasant."

Her hands were pulled away from her face and she looked up to find her brother peering at her. "How is Mom even going to know?" he asked with a sly smile. "She didn't see me on campus, and I'm certainly not going to tell her I was there. You weren't at school today, so you can easily deny having seen me there. Simple!"

Chibiusa laughed. "You're good," she said with a laugh. "I'm going to have to use you for all my sneaking around tasks." She got out of bed and disappeared into her closet. "So what did you learn that I need to hear?" she asked over the sounds of hangers shifting and clothes rustling.

"I'll get to that," Seiya replied, sitting on the bed and leaning against the wall. "But first I want to hear your version of what happened last night."

Something that sounded suspiciously like a snort came from the closet before Chibiusa emerged fully dressed. She sat on the floor beside her bed, facing Seiya. She stared at him for so long without speaking that he started to shift uncomfortably, dropping his gaze from hers.

"I had a vision last night," Chibiusa finally said, the words coming so suddenly that Seiya had to force himself not to flinch in surprise. "I'm not going to tell you everything, because some of it was. . ." Her voice trailed off and she felt a flush climb her cheeks. Seiya grinned. "The point is that I can neither move forward and become what I am destined to be, nor go back to what I was, until other people make the choices that are confronting them."

Seiya's grin faded as Chibiusa stood and crossed the room to her bedside table. She took her transformation locket out of the drawer and held it against her heart. Her eyes drifted closed as he held his breath. In a matter of moments the locket disappeared as if it had never existed, leaving only the gentle light of the Silver Crystal shining in the room.

Chibiusa opened her eyes and cast an almost wistful glance at the crystal before holding it out to her brother. "Take it," she ordered. "It's already shown that it's meant to be yours." When Seiya still hesitated she took a step closer to him. "You have to make a choice, Seiya," she said, her voice low. "If you don't. . ."

Seiya met his sister's eyes and saw the plea in them before he extended a shaky hand. As he got closer to the crystal its light started to pulse, similar to the way the Golden Crystal had in her vision. Chibiusa stood perfectly still, eyes intent on her brother, all but willing him to move that last inch and take the Silver Crystal from her hand and end the uncertainty.

But he stopped with his hand still hovering above hers. "What if it's not about my choice?" he asked, barely above a whisper.

Chibiusa felt frozen for a brief moment, then a rush of anger took over. "How can it not be about your choice?" she asked. Her hand clenched around the crystal. "The only two people involved with this thing -" she waved the fist that held the crystal "- are you and me! So what the hell are you suggesting?!"

Seiya took a deep breath. "Maybe you should sit down, and I'll tell you what I learned during my visit to your school." He took one of her hands to lead her toward a seat on the bed, realizing too late that it was the hand in which she still held the Silver Crystal.

A brilliant white light, almost blinding in its intensity, erupted from their joined hands. Chibiusa pulled her hand away quickly, as if it had been burned, a moment before a shock wave knocked her off of her feet. The light flared brighter, and she could hear sounds of something shattering and papers shredding; she put her arms up to shield her head from whatever fury had been unleashed in her bedroom.

Then suddenly it was almost painfully quiet. She lowered her arms and opened her eyes, surprised at the snowfall of paper she saw; apparently every book in the room had been torn to pieces. There was a slight _clink_ as the final piece of a broken porcelain figurine struck the floor, and then silence.

Except it wasn't quite silence; she could hear the strained breathing of someone else in the room. Remembering her brother in a rush, and terrified that he was injured, Chibiusa struggled to a sitting position, pushing the remainders of books off of her chest and stomach and blinking away the dust that clouded her eyes. And froze.

Seiya was most definitely still in the room with her, and thankfully not injured. He stood where he had been before, but so altered that it took Chibiusa a moment to recognize him. He was dressed in some sort of leather and padded fabric armor that ranged in color from brilliant white to a soft, dove grey. The sword that hung from his left hip was held in a silver-chased scabbard, and the lining of the grey cloak that hung from his shoulders was a deep midnight blue. A crescent moon symbol shone like gold in the center of his forehead.

"And here you thought it wasn't about you making a choice," Chibiusa managed to say when she recovered her voice.


	14. Chapter 14

As always the shrine was quiet when Rei arrived home from the evening committee meeting. She hadn't planned to go; concern for her daughter and a desire to keep their relationship from further damage had been foremost in her thoughts. But Rio had all but pushed her out of the door, saying she wanted some time to herself to think about everything that had recently happened.

It was later than she normally got home, so Rei was surprised to see a light visible through the window shades of her daughter's bedroom. She stood outside the house, gazing at that light as if it held the answers to every question she had ever had. She was aware that a part of her wanted, almost desperately, to avoid the conversation that she knew she had to have with Rio, and that knowledge flooded her with shame. She had spent nearly all of her daughter's life avoiding important conversations, and it was past time that she straightened up and faced it.

The sound of the door opening drew a response from Rio's bedroom; a creak from the wood of her desk chair. The bedroom door slid open before Rei even set her keys down on the table that sat just inside the front door.

"Mom."

Rei didn't look up immediately after her daughter spoke. She pretended to be absorbed in making sure her keys were placed just so on the table top, and then she picked some dead petals out of the vase of flowers. Something, anything, to put this off even half a moment longer.

"Mom."

More insistent this time. And closer. Rei finally lifted her eyes to see that her daughter had come a couple of steps nearer. She opened her mouth to speak but Rio beat her to it.

"I kept some dinner for you," Rio said, turning and starting to walk to the kitchen. "Won't take long to warm up, if you're hungry."

Rei was taken aback and didn't follow right away. When she entered the kitchen the microwave was humming, and she slid into a seat at the table as Rio moved about the room, gathering the meal together. It was such a strange sight, to see her daughter so calm and collected, that Rei had to fight the urge to pinch herself to prove she was awake. Instead she tucked into the food, with enthusiasm, having only just realized how hungry she was.

Once the kitchen was cleaned up and everything put away Rei knew that she couldn't avoid reality any longer. With a cup of green tea in hand she resumed her seat at the table, ready to face whatever was coming. She must have shown how tense she was, however, because Rio chuckled softly.

"Relax, Mom. I'm not going to bite your head off."

Rei met her daughter's eyes and saw that the younger woman meant exactly what she said. She smiled. "I'd deserve it if you wanted to," she commented, sipping the tea. "But since the past can't be changed I suggest we go forward from here." She took a deep breath. "Whatever questions you have I'll answer them as honestly as possible."

"I really only have one question," Rio said, and laughed at her mother's surprised look. "I've had all day to think about everything, and I think I understand. There's also a sort of peace in all of this; a feeling that I've finally attained something I never even knew that I wanted." She laughed again and pushed a hand through her hair. "That probably doesn't make any sense."

Rei shook her head, reaching out to clasp one of Rio's hands. "It makes perfect sense, believe me," she said. "But that's a story for another time. Ask your question."

"I just -" Rio began before clamping her mouth shut. A flush crept up her cheeks and she blinked rapidly, fighting tears. She knew she needed - maybe even deserved - an answer to the question in her head, but she wasn't eager to speak it. Not when she also knew that it would hurt her mother. She raised her eyes to the ceiling as if saying a quick prayer.

"Is all of this why Dad left?" she blurted out, still with her eyes on the ceiling.

Rei couldn't have been more shocked if her daughter had turned into a tree before her eyes. It wasn't so much the mention of her absent husband as it was the implication that the reality of the sailor guardians had forced Yuuichirou out of their lives. She had expected something more along the lines of _Does Dad know about all of this?_; at least she could honestly admit that to herself.

And she could be completely honest with her daughter. "No, it's not," she replied, watching carefully as Rio dropped her gaze from the ceiling and their eyes met. "And before you ask me how can I be so sure - well, it's because your father doesn't know the entire truth. Maybe he has a few suspicions that things were not always as they seemed, but know beyond a doubt? No, he doesn't."

Rio looked confused and almost deflated, as if she had puffed herself up in preparation for a much more difficult conversation and was now having to let all of that air out. As much as it made her want to smile it was also a painful reminder to Rei of just how fragile their mother/daughter relationship had been for so long, and how much work needed to be done. That and how young and inexperienced Rio was, despite her tough-girl act. And she realized what the real question Rio wanted an answer to was.

"It's not 'all of this', is it?" she asked, her voice soft but still managing to fill the room. Rio tried to look away but Rei gently grasped her chin and held her still, watching every nuance of emotion on her daughter's face. "It's about you, am I right? You've had time to think about it and you think that your father left because of what you were to become; that he somehow couldn't handle that part of it." A tear slid down Rio's cheek and Rei wiped it away with her thumb. "It was never about you, Rio. Not about you in general and not about you as a sailor senshi."

"Then why?" She sniffed loudly. "Why?"

"You know why, Rio. Neither your father nor I have ever made a secret of it."

Rio gave one last sniff. "You're right, I do know." She laughed quietly. "But three years? I think that's probably enough enlightenment to last into the next four lifetimes."

Rei laughed also. "Well, he's never done anything by half measures, not in his entire life." She stopped speaking abruptly as emotions got caught in her throat. She didn't often dwell on Yuuichirou's absence, which was why conversations like this one tended to hit her hard. It was difficult to talk about him, especially with his daughter, without missing him so much that it felt like a fist squeezing her heart.

Rio noticed her mother's sudden withdrawal and, reaching out, laid a hand on Rei's. "I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Rei emphatically shook her head. "No, I'm sorry. You had every right to ask. And I - " She took a deep breath before continuing. "I never should have let your father's absence have such a huge impact on our relationship. These last three years - you and I not even knowing each other - it's all my fault." She closed her eyes for a brief moment, almost as a prayer. When she opened them again she looked determined. "We're going to fix the things that have gone wrong between us, Rio. I promise that, on my life as Sailor Mars."

Rio grinned. "I know that, Mom. And I already know what our first joint project will be."

"Really?" Rei asked with a smile. "What's that?"

"You must teach me how to use my powers _without_ setting myself on fire!"

"This week just keeps getting better and better," Chibiusa muttered to herself as two books and an assortment of hair ties tumbled from the top shelf of her locker, scattering across the floor. She knelt and quickly began to gather the items up, but not before the bell rang to warn her that she was in imminent danger of being late to class. With a stifled curse she jumbled everything back into the locker (in such a way that it was guaranteed to spill out again) and raced at top speed, arriving, breathless, in the doorway of the classroom just as the bell to start rang.

It was the last class before the lunch break, and lucky for Chibiusa it was English, one of her best subjects. She took advantage of that fact to disengage most of her brain from school and focus on other things that, at the moment, were more important.

It had been one weak since the incident in her bedroom in which Seiya had been revealed as the true heir of the Moon Kingdom, and the master of the Silver Crystal. In a fit of panic he had begged her not to say anything and she, her mind still reeling with the shock of it all, had agreed. It was a decision that she was starting to bitterly regret, as the intervening days had proved that she was now completely incapable of transforming into Sailor Moon. And there had been no more visions, or any other sign of the priest who called himself Helios, to confirm that she was now on the path to becoming Sailor Earth. She was stuck; unable to go either forward or back.

And if there was one thing she well and truly hated it was being stuck.

The bell to end class rang out, startling her out of her thoughts. With a sudden, urgent need to see blue sky and breathe fresh air Chibiusa all but ran to her locker, grabbed her lunch, and made her way to her favorite spot on the school's grounds. Under the spreading branches of the enormous oak tree she could take the time to gather her thoughts together and decide what she would, or even what she could, do next.

For even though her mind had mainly been focused on Seiya's abrupt transformation she hadn't forgotten the news that he had imparted to her once he had returned to being nothing more than her younger brother The news that he had gathered and gleaned during his visit to this school the day after Rio's awakening as Sailor Mars.

The news that neither Akemi nor Mariko had reacted to having the Mercury and Jupiter pens in their hands. At all. Not even a glimmer.

"Great. Wonderful. Just perfect," Chibiusa had replied to Seiya's news. "Between that and whatever the hell is going to become of me the second generation of Sailor Guardians is looking awfully weak, wouldn't you say?"

Seiya had wisely not replied to that. In fact, in the days that followed he had gone out of his way to avoid her, always making excuses so that he barely even sat in the same room with her for more than ten minutes at a time. Their parents had noticed, but not asked. Oddly enough that made Chibiusa feel much better about the entire situation; at least they had faith in their children's ability to work things out between them. It was she who was starting to have doubts.

"That's an awfully cloudy face for such a sunny day."

The statement jolted Chibiusa out of herself and she glanced to her left, shielding her eyes from the sun's glare. When she recognized Rio she couldn't hide her surprise; her friend just laughed as she dropped to the ground and unpacked her lunch. "I think I should probably be insulted that you were so surprised to see me," Rio said, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Chibiusa pressed her lips tightly together to prevent a grin from escaping. "It's not an insult," she replied, casually sipping her drink. "More a reflection of how anti-social and - well, bitchy - you've been for most of the school year."

Rio choked on her sandwich and turned a wide-eyed and shocked gaze on her friend. When she saw the corners of Chibiusa's mouth twitching she tentatively smiled, then let out a whoop of laughter. Chibiusa joined in, and soon the pair were leaning against each other for support, grasping their sides and laughing fit to burst.

Rio recovered herself first with a last giggle, a deep breath, and a swipe of the tears on her cheeks. "Okay, I suppose I deserved that," she said as soon as she felt capable of speech. "Although to be honest I would have expected Mizuki to be the one to say it, even without first hand experience of my 'bitchiness'."

Chibiusa made a noise that seemed to indicate her agreement with that. "I'm surprised she hasn't hunted me down yet," she commented, looking around as if she expected Mizuki to appear suddenly from behind the next tree. "We haven't been able to talk very much since. . ." Her voice trailed off and she cast Rio a look that was half apology, half embarrassment.

"Shall we just call it my fiery epiphany and leave it at that?"

Chibiusa relaxed, glad to see that Rio at least seemed to have accepted her future as Sailor Mars. "That's as good a description for it as anything," she said. She went back to eating, but continued to study her friend out of the corner of her eye, alert to any sign that Rio wasn't as blasé as she appeared to be.

But Rio, like her mother, had more than her fair share of intuition and perception. She didn't miss any of Chibiusa's nervousness or scrutiny. "It really is fine, you know," she said after a few minutes had passed. "Mom and I had our first real, proper, conversation in a long time. Hashed a few things out. Promised to talk a hell of a lot more." She paused and looked up at the sky, sighing. "It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but it is okay."

Chibiusa's eyebrows rose. "Is it? Honestly?"

Rio shrugged. "Hard to tell after just a week, but I think it is. Mom's been a tremendous help, of course. With the physical powers, especially. I haven't randomly set anything on fire in nearly a day."

Chibiusa couldn't prevent a giggle. "That's progress, I suppose." Having finished her lunch she stretched her legs out and lay on the grass, her arms behind her head. She wanted to be happy for her friend, so she ruthlessly pushed away thoughts of her own backsliding. "I used to get this unreal head-rush when I transformed. Dizzy, light-headed, ringing in my ears, the whole deal."

Rio grinned. "Yeah, me too. The first time that Mom had me command the transformation I though my head would explode." She looked down at her friend. "I can't believe that you were dealing with all of this when you were just nine years old."

Chibiusa snorted. "Seven years and done," she said, sounding bitter. "But what a run, huh?"

"What?"

Chibiusa jack-knifed to a sitting position, horrified at what she had said. "Nothing! Nothing!" she exclaimed, pasting a false smile on her face. "Just thinking out loud about nothing important." She quickly packed her things away in her lunch bag, hoping that the burning she felt in her cheeks wasn't as visible as she feared it would be.

Her friend didn't say anything, but Chibiusa could feel Rio's eyes on her as she studiously kept her face averted. It wasn't until she heard Rio sigh that she looked that way again. And then looked a little harder.

"Out with it." Rio glanced at her, a phony confused look on her face. Chibiusa grinned. "I know you, and I can tell that there's something more on your mind. Something bigger than your own troubles. So spill."

"I didn't want to bother you with it right now," Rio began, a definite tone of reluctance in her voice. "But I've been thinking. . ."

Chibiusa waited for what felt like an interminable minute. "About?"

Rio gave her head a quick shake. "Akemi and Mariko," she quietly replied.

"Ah."

"So you know?" Rio asked, looking askance at her friend before giving a genteel snort. "Of course you know," she answered her own question. "Seiya grilled Mizuki that day, and he would have told you."

Chibiusa nodded. "I know the what," she added, wanting to be clear. "But I certainly don't know the why."

Rio coughed. "Yes, well. . ." She coughed again. "I kind of - well, sort of - have a -"

"Theory?"

Rio shook her head. "I don't think you could call it a theory. Theory would imply that I actually know something of what I'm talking about. And although Mom told me some things it hardly qualifies."

Chibiusa was silent for a moment, mulling over Rio's words. "She told you about things that happened when our mothers were where we are now. You know about the altered destinies."

Rio nodded. "And that started me thinking; if some wires got crossed, destiny-wise, why not others?"

Chibiusa sighed, feeling a touch of exasperation. "Stop tip-toeing around it and get to the point."

"Okay, the point." Rio took a deep breath and then plunged in. "Sailor Mercury is known as the Warrior of Water and Intelligence and the Guardian of Wisdom, right?" When Chibiusa nodded she continued. "And Sailor Jupiter is the Warrior of Thunder and Courage, the Guardian of Protection. My point is. . ." She paused for a moment, taking time to gather her last thought. "My point is do those descriptions really sound like Akemi and Mariko to you?"

No. No, they certainly did not. But if not them than who?


	15. Chapter 15

"Seiya? Seiya?! Earth to Seiya!"

It was the jolt of pain from a punch to his thigh that snapped him back to reality. Seiya blinked rapidly, shook his head, and looked up to see his sister lowering herself on to the swing next to his. He had come to their favorite park earlier that afternoon, worn out from the stress of keeping so many things secret; not just his own, but Chibiusa's, Mariko's and Akemi's.

He was fairly certain, although it hadn't been tested, that Chibiusa had completely lost her ability to transform into Sailor Moon when he had unwittingly taken control of the Silver Crystal. That was definitely the biggest secret the two of them were keeping, and it was gnawing at his conscience that it had been his decision to do so. He knew that, given the choice, his sister would have gone straight to their parents and spilled everything, including her visions of Elysion, its guardian priest, and what Artemis suspected it all meant. He had trapped her in a corner and coerced her promise to say nothing.

Although he was beginning to think maybe there wasn't a need for all the secrecy. In the week that had passed since that day he had held the Crystal on a couple of occasions with no reaction of any kind. Was that transformation into whatever-he-was just a fluke? Or was it all still wrapped up in, and entwined with, the questions of Chibiusa's destiny?

"I only just sat down and there you are, gone again."

Seiya grinned. "Sorry. Lots of things on my mind, you know."

Chibiusa held back a sigh. Oh yes, she did know. So many things to think about , to worry about, to turn over and over in her mind until her head was spinning and she felt herself going insane. But for now there was only one issue, one question, that she could focus on. She took a deep breath.

"Seiya, I'm going to tell Mom and Dad everything." She glanced sideways and saw her brother's eyes widen in surprise. "There's too much at stake in all of this. I'm sorry, but it's irresponsible, and selfish, of us to not speak up."

There was silence after she finished her little speech. She could feel Seiya's eyes on her, studying her, but he didn't speak. The movement of the swing he sat on also stopped, and she could have sworn he had also stopped breathing. The moment stretched longer, and tighter, until it felt like every tick of her watch was taking an hour and her heart beat sounded unnaturally loud in her ears.

"Something happened at school today," Seiya whispered, his eyes still locked on her face. "You've learned something else."

Chibiusa shook her head. "Not learned something, no." She heard Rio's voice in her head: _I don't think you could call it a theory_. "It's more like. . . Well, something to mull over."

"Something else, you mean? As if we don't already have enough."

Chibiusa reluctantly grinned. "Yeah, I know. But I have a sneaking suspicion that this might just beat out everything else."

"And this whatever-it-is is why you think we can't keep quiet anymore. Why we need to tell Mom and Dad," Seiya stated, cutting to the heart of the issue. "What are we talking about, exactly?"

She took a deep breath. "Rio thinks it's possible that Akemi and Mariko are not meant to be the next Mercury and Jupiter."

"WHAT?!"

"You heard me," Chibiusa said. "And the more I think about it the more I'm starting to agree."

Seiya shook his head. "What sort of logic has led the two of you to this. . ." His voice tapered off and he shook his head again. "Hell, I don't know what we can even call it! Conclusion? Theory? Insanity?"

"Any or all of the above?" Chibiusa asked with a laugh. "It's about their personalities, and how neither of them really fits. Akemi, the Warrior of Intelligence, and Mariko, the Warrior of Courage? Not exactly what you would picture for the two of them, is it?"

Seiya gave that a moment's thought before shaking his head. "When you put it that way, no, it's not what I would imagine." He gave his head a firmer shake, clearing his thoughts. "And Rio, perceptive little soul that she is, made the connection that nobody, not even their respective mothers, did? Might that be just as hard to imagine?"

Chibiusa raised a finger and shook it in admonishment. "Not as much as you might think," she said. "Remember that for most of her life Rio has lived as a person apart from the rest of us, and the estrangement from her mother only made that worse. I think that - disconnect, for lack of a better word - enabled her to look at it all so much clearer than any of us has ever managed."

"Put like that I can see your point," Seiya said. He scrubbed his face with his hands and gave a frustrated grunt. "Damnit, didn't we have enough crap to worry about?" He lowered his hands and met his sister's gaze. "But you're right about one thing; this puts a whole different spin on everything. We do need to spill the beans to Mom and. . ." His voice faded away and his gaze shifted until he was staring intently at the top of her head. "What the hell happened to your hair?!" he blurted out suddenly.

One of Chibiusa's hands flew to the top of her head. "What? Why? What's wrong with it?"

Seiya stared at her, incredulous. "You don't know? Have you not looked in a mirror at all today?"

"Of course I have!" she indignantly replied. "Obviously not since I left school, but -"

"Could it have happened that fast?" Seiya asked, musing to himself. He reached out toward his sister and gently took hold of a section of hair. He regarded it with unusual interest, and for so long, that Chibiusa started to get nervous.

"What is it?" she asked, her voice betraying a note of panic. "What's the matter?"

Seiya just shook his head and pulled the lock he was holding forward, bringing it within range of her vision. Chibiusa gasped and took it from him, too stunned to say anything.

For buried within the tresses, and clearly visible against the blonde, was a long streak of gleaming reddish-brown hair. The reddish-brown color of earth.

The next day dragged on, making each hour that Usagi spent in the classroom feel like two. She found it especially difficult to concentrate with her mind and heart still reeling from the previous evening's revelations. She had still been trying to decide which was the biggest surprise when she had finally fallen asleep at three that morning.

Breakfast had been an extremely awkward affair, with no one knowing what to say or who to say it to. Seiya had looked like he would happily slide off his chair and disappear into the floor while Chibiusa had been hard-pressed to keep one hand from touching the streak of darker hair that was now over two inches across and impossible to hide. When she noticed her mother watching she simply smiled and shrugged.

"Maybe if I tell people I did it on purpose it'll start a new trend," she had said. "It's not like I can do anything else about it."

At the end of the day Usagi caught up with her daughter before she could leave the school grounds. One look was sufficient to show that Chibiusa's new hair had been flattered and fawned over all day long. With a rueful smile Usagi approached.

"I suppose tomorrow will bring a whole host of girls to school with dyed hair?" she asked, glancing at Chibiusa's hair. She was slightly dismayed to see what looked like another dark streak growing near the girl's left ear.

Chibiusa's mouth twisted in a half-smile, half-grimace. "They're totally ridiculous," she replied, reaching behind her head and releasing the ponytail. The darker hair lost some of it's dramatic presence when the whole mass was loosened. "The only person who's reaction didn't make me want to punch something was Mizuki."

"Mmmm? What did she have to say?"

Chibiusa grinned. "Just that it seemed obvious I couldn't do anything about it and I should just accept it until the issue is resolved." She shrugged and pushed a hand through her hair over her left ear; clearly she was aware of the new patch. "It's easy for her to say."

Usagi stared at her daughter, sterness replacing her earlier smile. "Easy for you to do as well," she said. "Mizuki is right; until the question of your destiny is answered nothing can be done about this. Focus on that, and nothing else, for the time being."

Chibiusa stiffened at the peremptory tone in her mother's voice. "I can't do that," she said with a firm shake of her head. "I can't be so selfish, not when Mariko and Akemi need my help."

"Maybe the best way to help the two of them is to resolve your issues," Usagi said. With a lift of her eyebrows she went on. "Or do you honestly believe that these things aren't connected?"

"I don't know," Chibiusa replied in a whisper, struck by the new idea. She swallowed against the sudden, choking feeling of tears. "I don't. . ."

Seeing the tears start to glimmer in her daughter's eyes Usagi felt guilty for making such a brutal statement, but she couldn't go back on it. Instead she clasped Chibiusa's shoulders and held her tight, forcing her daughter to meet her gaze. "Stop right there, young lady. You are not to blame for these things. Just because it is more than likely that everything about this whole mess is connected to you doesn't make it your fault. Is that understood?"

Chibiusa smiled. "Are you asking me or telling me?"

Usagi felt the corners of her mouth twitch. "I'm telling you. The only thing I'm asking you is what are you going to do about it?"

"I thought Luna and Artemis -"

She got no further. "No!" Usagi exclaimed with an emphatic shake of her head. "I don't want them to know about all of this right now." _If ever_, she added to herself. _At least not Luna._

Chibiusa looked shocked at her mother's vehemence, then confused. But she nodded. "All right, I won't go to them," she said, her voice sounding more certain than she felt. "Nor will I ask why."

At that Usagi laughed out loud. "If you have any pride as my daughter - and as a Guardian - you don't need to ask, you'll figure it out!" And she walked away, leaving Chibiusa in puzzled silence behind her.

Chibiusa watched her mother as she moved away, back straight and shoulders squared. She felt a rush of affection that was quickly buried by an indefinable sadness. Her mother was right; she didn't need to ask why the reluctance to bring Luna and Artemis fully into the picture. But buried deep down, underneath all of the doubt, she thought that perhaps Artemis, at least, already knew.

She turned then to leave the school's grounds, but caught her breath in a gasp. The gate wasn't there. Nor was the street. She spun around quickly; the school was gone as well, and in it's place was the familiar sight of the Temple of Elysion.

Familiar, but different. It took her a moment to realize what the difference was.

The entire place was awash in white roses. There wasn't a speck of red anywhere to be found. Red roses, symbolic of her father and his power, had presented a startling contrast to the pure white the last time she had been there. Now it was all white. All her.

"It is time."

She didn't react to the softly spoken statement, simply waited as Helios moved around her until they faced each other. He reached for her hand and she followed, unresisting, toward the temple. But the walk felt different this time, and not just because she wasn't alone. It was, she realized, a new-found confidence in herself; a confidence brought about by a decision she hadn't even been aware of making.

But now she was ready. No more letting circumstances, or other people's ideas, or even a messed up destiny push her where she didn't want to go. Helios was right: it _was_ time. She pulled her hand free of his and forged ahead, walking with purpose and determination, and leaving her guardian priest behind. When he caught up with her and entered the temple she was standing alongside the plinth that held the Golden Crystal, white rose petals scattered to either side of her path through the building and drifting over her feet.

Chibiusa glanced at Helios as he moved to stand beside her and he simply nodded, his eyes bright even in the temple's dimness. She reached out a hand and held it, slightly cupped, beneath the Crystal, hesitating for the briefest of moments before closing her hand around it.

Immediately a warmth welled up throughout her body, intense and white-hot, but not burning. It spread from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair before retreating to her heart as suddenly as it had appeared, then sank away into nothing. With a sigh she opened her hand and saw the transformation brooch that had formed around the Golden Crystal. Etched on its face was the planetary symbol of Earth, a closed circle encasing two crossed lines. She took a deep breath, clenched her hand around the brooch, then raised that hand high above her head.

"Terra Crystal Power!"

There was a flash of light and sound, and a wind that came out of nowhere; Chibiusa could feel it pulling on her hair. It was all over in an instant, but she knew from past experience that her appearance, and her life, had been completely transformed. She glanced at Helios, the beginnings of a grin making the corners of her mouth twitch.

"Well?" she asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Very earthy," was his wry reply.

Chibiusa burst out laughing, looking down at her sailor fuku; the skirt was the same reddish-brown color that her hair had been turning and all the accents were dark green. And speaking of her hair it was now completely changed in color without a trace of its normal blonde. It hung long and loose down her back, reaching to her knees.

Helios hadn't spoken since his joke, and she felt a small flutter of panic in her stomach. He had been so confident, even forceful, that all of this was what was supposed to happen. What if the reality didn't measure up? The thought was extremely unsettling.

But when she met his gaze all doubt and panic fled. He was watching her with admiration and something akin to awe in his expression. He smiled tentatively and she released the breath she had been holding with a gusty sigh. When he came forward and took hold of her hands she laughed. "What do I do now?" she asked, wonderment plain in her voice.

"You have power over all the things of the Earth," he said. "Plants, animals, even the weather." He smiled. "Especially the weather; you'll probably find the most effective of your new attacks are those that involve wind and rain."

Chibiusa looked down at where his hands enfolded hers, trying to imagine herself, as Sailor Earth, conjuring a typhoon. It wasn't a pleasant thought, but then something else struck her.

"What about psychometry, like my father?" she asked. "I've always had that ability, but in such a limited way."

Helios laughed. "Not anymore." He gestured to one of the temple's walls. "Try it and see."

With a questioning look Chibiusa removed her hands from his and stepped closer to the wall. She focused her attention and concentrated, lightly touching her hands to the wall's surface. It faded away, leaving behind a vision of a forest with a lake. Four young women, not much older than herself, were also there, walking in a sort of procession on the lake's edge.

It came as a complete surprise when one of the women stopped walking, turned her head, and looked directly at Chibiusa. It was even more surprising when she came forward and walked right through the wall. And as she moved from the mist of Chibiusa's vision to the reality of Elysion her clothing changed, becoming the uniform of a Guardian with a pink skirt and collar. The bow on her chest was a soft, charcoal grey. She sank down onto one knee.

"Princess," she said, bowing her head.

Chibiusa stood as if frozen in place, too stunned for a moment to speak. "I don't. . . It's not. . . WHAT?!" she finally exclaimed.

The woman before her raised her head, smiled, then gracefully rose to her feet. "I know things have changed in your world," she said. "We could feel it in ours, likes ripples. So that means you don't know who I am. I am Sailor Ceres, the leader of your four Guardian Goddesses."

"My four. . . What?!" Chibiusa looked to Helios but he just shrugged, as if to say _This is for you to figure out_.

Ceres grinned. "When you achieved your full power as Sailor Moon and the future queen myself, Vesta, Juno and Pallas were to be your protectors and aides, as Venus, Mars, Mercury and Jupiter are for your mother. We have already fought with you once, but in a past that now never happened to you." She looked Chibiusa up and down, taking in the full existence of Sailor Earth. "And now that the expected future has changed. so the four of us must retreat back to our forest, to sleep and to wait."

"Wait?" Chibiusa asked, taking a step forward. "Wait for what?"

Ceres didn't answer. "I can not stay any longer, or the balance between realities will be disrupted." She laid a hand on Chibiusa's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. "If the time comes when we meet again you will know us." And with those words she walked back through the wall and disappeared, never once looking back.

"No! Wait!" Chibiusa sprang forward to try and stop Ceres, but ran painfully into the now solid wall. "Ow!" she said, rubbing her sore nose. When she turned back to Helios not all of her tears were from pain. "What do they have to wait for?" she asked, the fierce look on her face daring him not to answer.

He sighed. "They'll sleep until the next generation needs them," he replied. "Either a daughter of yours, or of Seiya's." He smiled slightly when he saw the quick look of dismay on Chibiusa's face. "I do mean sleep," he said. "They are not going to die and then be reborn when needed. The Quartet are different from other Guardians; the Amazon forest binds them in an ageless state, whether they are asleep or awake. You will see them again, have no fear."

Chibiusa was so sunk in thought then, trying to put all she had learned in it's proper place, that she failed to notice that with a wave of his hand Helios had caused the Temple, and all of Elysion, to fade around them. The sound of a car horn snapped her out of it, and she slowly took in her surroundings, first making note that her clothes and hair were back to normal.

They stood on the street corner were Seiya caught the bus to school. When she glanced behind her Chibiusa could see the corner of their house, marked by the holly bushes that grew there. And just visible beyond the bushes was a sight she hadn't expected: her uncle's car.

She grabbed Helios by the hand and ran the few hundred yards to the house, pulling him along behind her. She knew there was some significance in the fact that he was there, instead of staying in Elysion, but at that moment she couldn't have cared less. A car belonging to a police detective at the house was a much more worrying issue.

Seiya emerged from the living room when she and Helios burst through the front door, his forehead creased in a frown. He took in the sight of the pair of them, hands clasped, and met his sister's eyes with a questioning look. "Later," Chibiusa said, dropping Helios' hand and moving into the room where Shingo sat, tapping a file folder against the sofa cushions. He stood when his niece entered.

"What's going on?" she asked, glancing between her two male relatives. "Mom and Dad -"

"No, no, it's nothing like that," Shingo said, hastening to reassure the two teenagers. "I wanted to speak to Usagi." He was now tapping the folder on the open palm of his other hand, clearly somewhat agitated.

Chibiusa nodded toward the file. "Does this have anything to do with her questions before?" she asked. "Mysterious deaths that look like heart attacks but aren't?"

Shingo was surprised that she knew about that and it showed in his dumbfounded expression, but he nodded and held the folder out to her. Chibiusa took it and flipped it open, scanning the information she found within. Her face paled.

"What?" Seiya asked, trying to take the folder from his sister. "What's going on?"

Chibiusa closed the folder and clasped it against her chest, her grip so tight everyone could hear the papers crumpling. Her gaze locked with her brother's.

"Aaron Henderson is dead."


	16. Chapter 16

"So, what are supposed to do now?" Seiya asked as the family sat around the kitchen table. It was getting late, but food seemed to be the last thing on anyone's mind.

Usagi and Mamoru had arrived home to the bombshell of Henderson's death, delivered as soon as they came through the door. Helios' presence was also a considerable surprise, but any questions relating to that were quickly shoved to the back burner. There were too many other, and bigger, things to worry about.

Usagi was studying the file her brother left and didn't respond to Seiya. He glanced at his father; Mamoru gave a slight shake of his head. Now was the time to absorb and process facts, not ask questions, so Seiya subsided into his seat and held his peace.

"Probable cause of death: heart attack," Usagi read from the police report. "Cyanotic lips and fingernails indicative of a lack of oxygen." Her eyes widened and she looked up at Mamoru. "Bruising on center of chest, rough star shape approximately three centimeters across."

When she stopped speaking there was a sigh so complete and enveloping that it was impossible to say who it came from. It was Mamoru who finally spoke. "Heart snatched," he said angrily.

"And with no warning," Usagi added, raising her left arm with its watch that doubled as their Daimon detection system.

"With no warning," Mamoru agreed, looking slightly puzzled. "But why the warning system failed is definitely the most urgent question."

"Maybe Henderson created a new Daimon form, one that the detector can't recognize," Seiya put in.

"Or he figured out how to bypass the Daimons altogether, using some other method to directly take hearts," Chibiusa added.

"Or he ceased to be useful and the entity controlling him simply ended his life."

It was the first time Helios had spoken since entering the house hand-in-hand with Chibiusa. Four pairs of eyes shifted to him and he met each gaze directly, Mamoru's last. There was a long moment of silent communication between the two before Mamoru nodded and spoke.

"We have to assume that Chaos removed himself from Henderson for some reason or other. Which means he is now out and free in the world. We have to act accordingly, which means telling everybody else what's going on."

"Agreed," Usagi replied before leaving the room to make arrangements for everyone to meet. With a quick glance at his children and Helios Mamoru followed. Their murmured conversation drifted from the hall to the kitchen.

Seiya ignored all of that and took his sister's hand, pulling her through the archway and into the living room. "Okay, what's the story?" he asked, speaking low enough to not be overheard. "You got home late from school with -" He gestured to the kitchen "- whoever he is and your hair is completely back to normal. So, what gives?"

As briefly as possible Chibiusa told him of the day's events and revelations, even displaying the Golden Crystal brooch. Seiya smiled as he touched it. "Mom and Dad will be pleased," he said. "This means you can fight again, doesn't it?"

Chibiusa shrugged. "Yes, but probably not very well," she answered, tucking the brooch back in to her pocket. "I have to get control over my new powers before I can be of any use." She went on to repeat what Helios had told her about the powers of Sailor Earth, including her short-lived fantasy of herself creating a typhoon.

"That is so awesome," Seiya said, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"I know," Chibiusa replied, more than matching his grin. They had a peaceful moment in which to share an unclouded joy, but Seiya quickly grew serious again. He gestured toward the kitchen.

"What about your silver-haired friend?"

"I'm not sure," Chibiusa replied with a shrug. "I am surprised that he's still here, though. He's -"

"He's staying until you fully master your basic powers as Sailor Earth." Helios's soft voice came from the kitchen, followed shortly by his entire body, leaning insolently against the archway. He gave Chibiusa a significant look. "You, and by extension your fellow Guardians, are vulnerable right now. And with this new uncertainty of Henderson's death. . ." His words trailed off as all three of them exchanged nervous glances. Seiya was the first to break the uncomfortable silence.

"We're screwed."

The following afternoon Seiya was caught by surprise when he arrived at the bus stop after school; standing there, and clearly waiting for him, was Mariko. He hesitated at the bus's door, unsure if he really wanted to get off at that moment. But an impatient throat-clearing from the driver made the decision for him, even though the last thing he wanted was to talk to the friend of his sister that he was nursing a crush on.

That feeling only grew stronger when Mariko turned at the sound of his footsteps on the sidewalk, a smile on her face. He swallowed with a nearly audible gulp and forced himself to smile in return. "Hey," he said in what he hoped was a bored voice, adding a cursory nod. "What brings you out here today?"

"I wanted to talk to you," she replied, a faint blush staining her cheeks. "I can't get a straight answer out of Usa."

"A straight answer to what question?" he asked, turning and starting to walk in the direction of his favorite park.

Mariko fell easily into step beside him. "The question of what, exactly, is the problem with Akemi, myself, and this whole Sailor Guardian thing."

Seiya laughed. "And you think I might know?"

Mariko shot him a quick, sidelong glance that managed to convey just the right amount of contempt. "Yes, I think you do. Even if no one has told you anything directly you're observant, and smart enough to put the pieces together. So quit playing dumb."

Even though her words were angry her praise made Seiya flush; the tips of his ears felt like they were on fire. But as much as he wanted to pretend that he had figured everything out on his own, and justify her opinion of his intelligence, his innate honesty won out. "Usa's told me a few things," he admitted, and went on to relate Rio's speculation, and how Chibiusa had been brought round to the same point of view, Chibiusa's awakening as Sailor Earth and Helios's surprise presence in their lives, and finally Aaron Henderson's death. As the words had spilled out of him they arrived at the park, and he tugged Mariko to sit on a nearby bench.

She sat quietly, absorbing the sudden rush of information. When Seiya glanced her way her could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she processed everything and tried to come to a conclusion. The moment dragged on with neither of them speaking, just thinking. Seiya found himself looking at the situation from a different perspective after having laid the whole thing out for Mariko. And the more he thought the more inescapable one conclusion became.

Mariko sighed deeply, drawing his attention back to her. She was staring straight ahead, only her profile turned to him. "What does all of this mean for us?" she asked. "Akemi and I?"

"I honestly don't know."

Now she turned her head and met his eyes. "Don't _know_, or won't guess?" She laughed at the blush that crept up his neck and across his cheeks. "That question was a direct hit, I see." When he didn't respond immediately she laid a hand on his arm. "I'm sorry," she quietly said. "I shouldn't have asked, at least not like that."

Seiya shook his head. "It's not that. I just. . ." He reached across and laid one hand over hers where it rested against his arm. " I don't _know_ what any of this means, and frankly your guess would be as good as mine. Or anyone else's, for that matter," he concluded with a small laugh.

"So what do I do?" Mariko pulled the Jupiter pen out of one of her pockets and dropped her gaze to it. "Do I just sit on my backside and wait for something to happen? Wait for fate, or destiny, to right itself so we can all get on with our lives?"

"Maybe. Probably," he amended when she shot him a glaring look. "But I think we can do more than sit on our backsides while we wait." He stood and took hold of her hand that held the pen, drawing her to her feet at his side. "Come with me."

"Where?"

"To the one person who might be able to clear the mist and catch a glimpse of the future."

"Again."

Chibiusa sighed and blew a breath skyward, fluttering the sodden hair that fringed her face. Her entire body was sodden, in fact, the result of a badly summoned and even worse controlled rain shower barely ten minutes previous. Rio and Mizuki were also drenched, but they at least had the warmth of a fire that Rio had created. Helios wasn't going to allow her any such comfort.

"Again!" he repeated, his voice louder and harsher.

Chibiusa flushed with anger and bit back her instinctive response, which was to tell Helios to do it himself if he was displeased with her. She knew that in-fighting wasn't going to get them anywhere, though, so she pushed down her emotions, cleared her mind, and focused on the small tree that she was supposed to be making grow. "Botanic Surge!"

Nothing. The tree stubbornly stayed the same size, her clothes stayed uncomfortably wet, and the sound of Rio's fire merrily crackling stayed a distant temptation. The only thing that changed was instead of telling her to do it again Helios sighed in frustration and walked away, presumably to calm down before something happened that he might regret.

_If I could control the damned tree_, Chibiusa thought, _I'd be tempted to throttle him with one of the branches._ So this break, however brief it turned out to be, was exactly what she needed. As soon as Helios disappeared into the trees she felt herself relax, and a sudden surge of warmth told her that her friends had approached. And, best of all, had brought the fire with them.

"If you want me to set fire to his manly parts just say the word," Rio quietly said with a nod in the direction Helios had gone.

Mizuki shook her head. "That's too messy and would take too long," she put in. "I can castrate him in less than two seconds with a well placed Crescent Beam."

Chibiusa fought against an unreasonable desire to laugh until she was breathless and gasping, and instead contented herself with a wide grin. "No bodily harm ladies," she said in an admonishing tone. "I may not be enjoying this, but he is only doing his job."

"I thought his job was to pray for you and protect you, not harass you unmercifully," Rio said, giving the flames in her hand a slight mental nudge so they burned higher and hotter. "The Guardian Priest of the Temple of the Earth kind of carries that implication."

"Agreed, but he may also be the only person alive who is capable of teaching me anything about my new powers. And, like it or not, until I gain some proficiency in those powers we are all in danger."

"Point taken, but he doesn't need to be so damned rude about it," Mizuki grumbled, drawing laughs from her friends.

"I'm sorry I missed it," said a new voice behind them. "I could use a good laugh."

The three of them turned to see Akemi standing at the edge of the trees, on the path that led up to the shrine. She was smiling slightly and a little uncertainly, as if unsure of her welcome. Mizuki, with no such feelings of uncertainty, ran forward, took Akemi by the hand and all but towed her to where Chibiusa and Rio stood. It was only when they got close enough that Chibiusa saw the blue and gold Mercury pen in Akemi's hand.

Akemi saw where she was looking; she blushed and shrugged with a jerky motion. "Mom told me you guys would be here," she said, her voice low. "I thought maybe -" She abruptly stopped speaking and started rolling the pen back and forth between her hands.

The other three girls exchanged telling looks. No one needed to say out loud what they were all thinking; Akemi had come in the hopes that something - anything - would trigger her transformation.

It was something of an uncomfortable situation, all things considered, so Chibiusa transformed back to herself, Sailor Earth disappearing as quickly as she arrived. It was a relief to be in dry clothes again. Mizuki and Rio quickly followed her lead, and before long the four of them stood together, looking like nothing more than ordinary high school students. Except for the purple hued flames that Rio still held, cupped in her palm. With a sheepish grin she closed her hand and doused the fire.

Akemi looked slightly awestruck before giving her head a shake. "Wow," she said with a breathless little laugh.

Rio grinned. "Surprising, isn't it?"

"Crazy, more like," Mizuki mumbled.

Chibiusa glared at the two of them. "It just takes some getting used to," she said, trying to smile in a reassuring fashion. "There's nothing scary about any of it."

"Except not being able to do what's expected of you," Akemi put in, her voice dark and gloomy.

"That's not scary," Rio replied with a laugh. "That's a wonderful, glorious thing!" She gestured to Mizuki and Chibiusa. "Do you really think that we'd be doing this if given a choice?"

Akemi looked surprised at the question, but she answered instinctively and honestly. "Yes, you would. There's evil in this world, and being able to do something about it is a thing we'd all choose. Including me. Which is why I hate this thing!" Before anyone could stop her she flung the Mercury pen away. The sunlight sparked off of the gold as it arced through the air to land with a splash in a nearby shallow puddle.

"Akemi -" Mizuki shrank back a little when her friend turned a ferocious glare on her but she continued speaking. "That wasn't the best idea," she said. "Even if that pen isn't meant to be yours it still belongs to somebody."

Akemi sighed and her shoulders slumped, all of the anger draining out of her in the blink of an eye. "I don't know what I'm doing," she whispered, tears slipping from her eyes. "Mom says that once I can transform it'll all come naturally, but. . ."

Chibiusa and Rio exchanged a look, but neither spoke. Mizuki's gaze bounced back and forth between the two of them, her expression betraying her increasing impatience. The moment stretched, but neither Chibiusa nor Rio broke her silence. Akemi reacted to the increasing tension by fidgeting, shifting her weight from one foot to the other, and watching her three friends intently.

"Enough, already!" Mizuki's shout made all of them start. "We need the truth, not more secrets. And if you don't tell her I will!"

"Never mind, I think I can guess." Akemi grinned and pointed at Mizuki. "You said 'Even if that pen isn't meant to be yours it still belongs to somebody.' It's not hard to guess from that what you guys think is going on." She met the eyes of all three. "But I'd still like to hear it from you."

Rio laughed. "We're behaving like idiots," she exclaimed. "And worse, we're letting all of this effect who we are as friends. It's not worth that." She grew serious as she regarded Akemi. "Neither you nor Mariko has had any sort of reaction to the transformation pens and we think -" Chibiusa coughed. "Okay, _I_ think that the two of you may not be destined for this." She transferred her stern gaze to Mizuki. "Happy?"

"Happier, at least."

"So what do we do now?" Akemi asked, her brow furrowed. "There has to be something, because wait-and-see doesn't strike me as much of a plan."

"It's a lousy plan, but the only one we have," Chibiusa finally spoke, having kept silent during the tense discussion. "As Rio herself proved sometimes the stress of the moment is needed before the slumbering guardian can awaken." She smiled at Akemi and nodded toward where the Mercury pen had landed. "You'd better go and find the blasted thing, since it's yours until further notice."

The words had barely left her mouth when there was a loud shout and a sudden rustling in the nearby trees. The, before anyone could react with more than a start of surprise Helios came out of the trees. Not walking on his own feet, but flying as if he'd been launched from a catapult. He landed on the far side of the clearing, accompanied by the sound of small branches and twigs breaking and a loud grunt of pain. His head lifted for a moment, his eyes dazed, before it fell back to the ground and he lay still.

Chibiusa ran to where he had fallen. Mizuki and Rio didn't need any instructions; before the crash of Helios' landing faded they moved together and took up defensive stances, facing the trees where the commotion was centered. Akemi didn't hesitate in bolting to the trees for cover, the shouts of her friend following right behind her.

"VENUS POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

Chibiusa knelt beside Helios, the damp ground soaking through her jeans. His hand was limp within hers. She squeezed that hand, hard, willing whatever power to heal that she possessed into him. "Come on," she groaned, pounding his chest with a fist. "You said you'd always be there when I needed you, Damnit! So come on!"

"I'll wake up as long as you promise not to hit me again." The hand she held twitched and then tightened, returning the pressure she was giving. Chibiusa gasped as Helios' eyes flickered and then opened. It took a moment for them to focus on her, then he sat up and held her by the shoulders, looking directly into her eyes.

"You need me, and I'm here. You can fight now, I know you can."

Chibiusa gazed into his intent eyes, feeling a fire surge to life inside her heart. She took Helio's face between her hands and pressed a fervent kiss to his lips. "I can fight," she declared. "I will fight." She released him and rose to her feet, every movement graceful and majestic. The Golden Crystal brooch was clasped in her hand.

"TERRA CRYSTAL POWER!"

Her transformation erupted in a burst of brilliant golden light, leaving Helios dazzled by the combination of it and the kiss.


	17. Chapter 17

Rei was working quietly in the office, trying to get caught up on a mass of paperwork, when Seiya and Mariko burst in and disturbed her concentration. Now, almost fifteen minutes and a lengthy explanation later, she was fairly certain she'd not be able to get back to work that day.

"You want me to do what?" she asked, unable to keep the surprised tone out of her voice.

Mariko had the grace to flush and look slightly ashamed, but Seiya just grinned. Like his mother there was very little that could dampen his ebullient personality, and Rei had to bite her bottom lip to keep from grinning in return. Someone needed to be the responsible adult, after all. She focused all of her attention on Mariko, sensing that it was the girl's need that had brought the pair of them.

"I know you think I'll be able to see something of what the future holds," she said. "But you have to understand that even if I do a fire reading that is no guarantee. Free will is always at work."

"What does that mean?" Mariko asked, looking agitated.

Rei sighed. "It means that your actions and decision have an impact. You have the final say in what happens to you. But it also means that other people's actions will effect you." She glanced toward Seiya, who was nodding in agreement. "And one more thing to think about," she went on, a slight smile curving her lips. "When it's related to our fight as Guardians my visions have never been very clear; I could just as easily get the whole thing the wrong way round."

Mariko's face fell and the small light of hope left her eyes. Seiya opened his mouth as if to speak but then changed his mind, quickly clamping his jaw shut so tight that a muscle twitched in his cheek. Rei was gratified by the maturity that he had shown, so she gave the pair the only thing it was in her power to give.

"There is one thing, though," she began, stifling her amusement as two heads snapped up, attention riveted on her. She kept her gaze on Mariko. "One thing I've gotten exactly right in the past was recognizing the aura of a Guardian in your mother before we knew anything else. You have the same aura, Mariko."

"But that would mean. . ."

Rei nodded. "It means exactly that. You will become a Guardian. The how and the when are all that need to be worked out." She held up a hand to forestall the objection she could see coming. "I know what you're thinking; you've had the Jupiter pen in your hands for almost a week and haven't felt a thing. Nothing. Not even a tingle." She shook her head, a faint smile playing across her lips. "I can tell you from personal experience that the pen is not the whole story. Stress - physical, emotional, or mental - also plays a role. And that is something that you have been clearly lacking."

Seiya nodded in agreement, as if that was something he had already told Mariko. Repeatedly. She, for her part, shot him a dirty look. "I guess that makes sense," she said, sounding considerably calmer than when they had first arrived at Hikawa. "I just worry that it'll take too long, what with everything that's going on."

Rei laughed. "With everything that's going on it will probably happen sooner than you expect," she replied with a grin. "But don't worry about it; that kind of stress will get you no where. In fact. . ." Her voice trailed off and her eyes went blank; she turned her head away from the pair of teenagers as if listening to a voice that only she could hear.

A voice that was clearly calling for help, because before Seiya or Mariko could react Rei transformed in a blast of fire and ran from the room.

The after class staff meeting ran late, as usual, and Usagi was in no mood for anything else to surprise her as she made her way back to her classroom. All she wanted was to gather her belongings and go home, but she knew that even there she wasn't likely to relax. Worrying about her children had become a constant ache at the back of her mind, one that was now pierced by an occasional burst of emotional agony.

She knew that Chibiusa was spending the afternoon at Hikawa Shrine, beginning the difficult process of learning to control her new powers. Mizuki and Rio would be with her, ready to defend her if need be. And although she still worried about her Usagi had faith in her daughter's ability to work things out for herself, however topsy-turvy her life became. She had proven that when her powers had first appeared at the age of nine.

Seiya, on the other hand. . .

Usagi sighed and passed a hand over her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. For so many years her son had been an open book to her, the two of them so alike that it was sometimes as if they shared one mind and one heart. But lately he had closed himself off from his entire family, most especially her. His insistence on Chibiusa keeping the secret about his transformation was one symptom of what could be a much larger problem. A problem that she wasn't sure how to address, or if that was even possible.

She turned the corner into the hallway where her classroom was and stopped short in surprise. Makoto, Ami, and Minako were all waiting for her. Minako saw her first and pushed away from the wall where she had been leaning. Her movement caught Ami's and Makoto's attention as well and all three turned to face Usagi's approach.

She stopped a couple of feet from where the trio stood. "I should have known that this lousy day wasn't over," she said, smiling to soften her words. "Not that I'm not pleased to see you, of course."

"We know that Henderson is dead," Minako spoke, her words blunt and straightforward. "And I don't know about the two of them, but I'm pretty damned irritated that it was your husband who gave me the news. I thought we were all through with keeping secrets from each other."

"Mina -" Ami began.

"NO!" Minako all but shouted, her anger almost a physical force. "We can't keep doing this, not now. I hardly think any of us needs a reminder, but it's not just our lives on the line any more. Our children are under threat as well."

Makoto blanched, her fear plain to see on her face. Usagi could feel the heat of anger burning in her cheeks as she grabbed Minako's arm and none too gently pulled her out of earshot of their friends. "That was unnecessary," she hissed, struggling to keep from raising her voice. "And cruel, considering you know that Mariko and Akemi are still powerless." She gave Minako's arm a sharp tug, wringing a gasp of pain from the other woman. "What the hell were you thinking?"

Minako twisted her arm, wrenching Usagi's wrist and causing her to let go. They each took a step back, eyes blazing and breathing rapid. A faint orange glow bloomed around Minako, a sure sign that her anger was reaching the danger point. It wasn't until her hands clenched into fists at her sides, though, that someone else intervened.

"STOP IT!" Ami's cry echoed in the empty hallway, startling her three companions. "This is what our enemies want! If we fight amongst ourselves how can we possibly fight them?"

Usagi took a deep breath and visibly calmed down. She glanced at Minako, who still looked angry enough to spit nails. "I didn't deliberately keep Henderson's death a secret," she said, sounding rather disgruntled. "If you recall I contacted all of you yesterday evening about meeting because there was some important news. When I learned I wouldn't be able to make that meeting I asked Mamoru to spread the word.

Minako flushed and looked away, chagrined, but made no reply. Usagi went on to list all of the facts they had about Henderson's death as well as the speculations her family had indulged in the previous evening.

Makoto was the first to speak after digesting the flood of information. "So I guess we're _not_ accepting natural causes as the reason for his death?" she asked with a forgivable touch of sarcasm in her tone.

Ami snorted. "All things considered definitely not." She looked to Usagi. "And Shingo brought all of this to you?"

Usagi nodded. "He remembered my questions about unusual deaths that looked like heart attacks, and the report on Henderson caught his attention." She grinned. "Luckily he didn't hang around for long or he'd have gotten an earful."

"But why now?" Minako asked, speaking for the first time since her ugly confrontation with Usagi. "Which ever explanation we accept - and I think Chaos killing Henderson because he was no longer useful has got to be the odds on favorite - why _now_ has to be the biggest question."

"But that isn't really a question, is it?" Makoto put in. "Everyone's already said it: Henderson was no longer useful."

"I know, and I agree," Minako replied. "But the timing is strange. Chaos could have killed Henderson weeks ago once he had perfected his Daimon process."

"The process is hardly perfect," Ami put in. "That park bench in the shopping district and the newspapers in the train station weren't under anyone's control. And the heart snatching victim that started us down this road was a botched operation as well."

"Which makes my question even more pertinent." Minako held up a hand to forestall anyone else from speaking. "What changed in the last couple of days to make Henderson expendable?"

"Chaos found something more powerful than the Daimons?" Makoto suggested.

Usagi felt icy fingers start to squeeze her heart. "Or someone," she whispered. She didn't have to say anything else; they all knew about Chibiusa's change of circumstances. The stricken looks they exchanged were very telling.

A cell phone rang, shattering the silence that had descended and making all four woman start. Usagi quickly pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket; the conversation was making her abnormally nervous about her children. With a sigh of relief she saw that it was Seiya calling.

MOM! Mom, you've got to get over here! Something's going on. I don't know what, but it's big!"

The panic in his voice quickly re-ignited all of Usagi's worries, and it was a struggle to keep her own voice calm. "Where are you?" she asked, not wasting time on asking what, exactly, was happening. Where was the more important information. She switched the phone to speaker mode so everyone could hear his answer.

"I'm at Hikawa with Mariko." Makoto's eyes widened at that news. "We were talking with Rei when out of nowhere she sort of zoned out on the conversation. Then she transformed and took off." Seiya's agitated breathing was clearly audible. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Usagi heartily seconded that feeling. "Stay put, the pair of you," she said, her tone unmistakably a command. "Usa, Mizuki and Rio are there and can help Rei until we arrive. You and Mariko are to stay out of it, understood?" She clicked off the phone before he could respond and shoved it back in her pocket. When she looked to her friends she was surprised to find all three of them already transformed.

"Hurry up. Times a-wasting," Minako said with a grin.

"MOON ETERNAL MAKE UP!"

Seiya pushed the phone into his pocket with a gusty sigh. Calling the cavalry (in the form of his mother and the other Guardians) had been the right thing to do, he knew that. But it still left him with an almost unbearable feeling that on his own he was utterly useless.

"We're not just going to sit here like good little children, are we?" Mariko asked.

Seiya sighed again, this time a touch angrily. He wasn't about to admit that that was exactly what he planned, though. Admitting that would mean admitting that although he had undergone a transformation he was still noticeably lacking the powers department. Combine that with the uncertainty that still surrounded Mariko and staying put, and staying safe, seemed like a very good idea indeed. Not that he was going to say any of that out loud.

"What do you suggest we do instead?" he asked, turning to face her as he spoke. She stood there with a determined look on her face and the Jupiter Pen in her hand.

"What do you think?"

Seiya felt the blood drain from his face. "Mariko -"

She held up a hand to cut him off. "This is it," she said, a grim smile on her face. "This is what I've been waiting for; what I need to do. You heard what Rei said about stress being a trigger for the transformation. This might be my best chance."

"And if nothing happens?" Seiya asked, his voice rising in his agitation. "You'll be in danger!" He was all but shouting by that time.

"With my mother, your mother, and half a dozen other Guardians to protect me?" She smiled gently as she spoke, and Seiya flushed as he realized that she knew how he felt about her. Before he could respond, though, the building was rocked by some sort of explosion nearby, knocking both of them off their feet. Mariko was up and running out the door before Seiya even got his breath back.

She was out of sight by the time he reached the porch, but it was easy to figure out which direction she had headed. Purple-ish flames were visible through the trees to his right, so he ran in that direction, narrowly avoiding a beam of orange light coming straight at his head. Mizuki's contribution, clearly. Seiya had barely reached the edge of the trees when Akemi emerged, running at top speed. She screamed as they collided, then her hands locked on to his arms. She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off.

"Stay here," he ordered, trying to pull his arms free of her grasp. She held fast.

"No, wait," Akemi began, struggling to speak and catch her breath at the same time. "You need to know; what they're fighting. . ." She took a deep breath and tears glimmered in her eyes. "It's not there! Nothing is there! It's like a phantom moving through the trees."

_That explained the errant Crescent Beam that nearly took off my head_, Seiya thought. Before he could respond to that, however, something else struck him with all the force of a kick to the stomach. Every word anyone had ever said about the stress of a battle awakening a Guardian ran through his head as he looked at Akemi.

"Why aren't you transformed?"

Akemi gulped down what could only be a sob. "I don't have the pen," she whispered. "I was angry and threw it away, and before I could get it back. . ." She gestured helplessly, seeming to indicate the hell that had broken loose around them. A split second later another, smaller, explosion shook the ground, proving her point. They could hear shouting but not make out any of the words. One thing became abundantly clear, though; Akemi recognized the one voice that she thought shouldn't be there. _Mariko_, she mouthed as the color drained from her face.

Seiya didn't hesitate; he grabbed Akemi's hand and pulled her along as he started toward where the shouting came from. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight until the Mercury Pen was back in her hands. He'd worry about how she hadn't seen Mariko in her flight through the trees later.

It didn't take long to arrive at the scene of the action. The small clearing seemed overwhelmed by all of the people, so Seiya chose to hang back on the edge of the trees. His eyes roved over everyone, though, seeking the one face he was most concerned with at that moment.

Akemi's hand squeezed his. "There! She's over there! She's not hurt!"

Seiya followed her pointing finger and saw Mariko, half-hidden behind a small tree and being guarded by her mother. He breathed a sigh of relief just as the atmosphere surrounding all of them changed. The noise of someone or something thrashing through the trees stopped and after one last gust of wind that stirred everyone's hair and clothes the breeze dropped away to nothing. It felt like the world was holding its breath.

Akemi started to move around him, but Seiya tightened his grip on her hand, holding her in place. "Don't move," he whispered, alert to a feeling he could barely understand. "It's not over yet."

"But -"

"Seiya's right." Usagi stood in the middle of the clearing, a bright spot in the semi-darkness. A ghostly image of wings stood out on either side of her, moving whenever she did. "There's still something here," she said, glancing at Ami. The other woman touched a finger to one of her earrings and the Mercury Visor snapped into place across her eyes. The few moments that she studied the readings felt like hours.

"There _is_ still something here," Ami said, speaking quietly as if unwilling to disturb whatever was with them. "But I can't get a fix on it. Or track it." She shook her head and turned off her visor. "All we can do is wait."

While Ami was speaking Mariko had come out from behind her mother so she could better see what was happening. Time passed painfully slow as they all held their breath, watching and waiting.

Chibiusa was the first to break that expectant silence. "It has to be gone now," she said, taking a few steps towards where her mother stood. "If Ami can't track it -"

Helios had followed her, one hand outstretched to take hold of her arm. He did no more than hiss a warning before the calm was interrupted by a blast of wind and swirling leaves. Chibiusa and Helios were knocked off of their feet by the first eruption, then whatever the force was attacked Rio and Mizuki, landing both girls on the ground with grunts of pain.

"SEIYA!" Usagi shouted the warning, giving her son just enough time to shield Akemi as best he could before the invisible force came at them.

He had often heard people speak of strong winds feeling solid, like a wall. But this. . . It didn't just feel solid, it was solid in a way he couldn't explain. It buffeted them roughly, shaking and rocking them as they stood together. Akemi cried out during one particularly vicious stroke and clenched her hands tightly on his arms. Her fingernails dug painfully into his skin, but he was grateful for it; it helped focus his mind on keeping his feet under him. Then, just as quickly as it had struck it passed on, leaving both Seiya and Akemi breathless.

But the pause was brief, and it didn't take Seiya long to put the pieces together and realize who the next target would be. He released Akemi so abruptly that she staggered and nearly fell but he barely noticed. All of his attention was directed at the other side of the clearing, and he set off at a run.

It was too late, though, for the force had already knocked Makoto aside and gotten hold of Mariko. Seiya could see her leaning into the wind, struggling, as her hair was whipped around her face, obscuring her vision. Then without warning she was lifted off her feet and everything went still.

Literally. Everyone and everything had frozen in mid-motion. From where he stood, unable to even move his eyes, Seiya could see that even Mariko was locked in place; her hair lifted away from her face and a shocked expression in her eyes. In that small space, and for that brief moment, time was standing still.

Sound and movement returned in a rush. Seiya staggered and nearly fell when one of his feet hit the ground, hard. He didn't clearly see what happened next, but he heard a choked-off scream that could only have come from Mariko, followed by a squelching sound of something hitting the mud. Chibiusa called out Mariko's name, fear and concern making her voice crack. Then they all heard the roar of rushing water followed by an enormous splash. Somehow there was real water involved, even though no one saw any. But everyone standing in that clearing was soaking wet.

Everyone except Mariko. She stood in the spot where she had fallen, a shaft of sunlight making it's way through the trees and bathing her in light. Her hair was much shorter than normal and she wore the fuku of a Sailor Guardian; the skirt was a rich, slate blue and the accent bows a bright aquamarine. She held Akemi's discarded Mercury Pen in her right hand. She smiled as they all stared at her, then crossed the clearing to where Akemi stood. She handed the Jupiter Pen to the other girl.

"I have a feeling that this belongs to you."


	18. Chapter 18

"So I felt something hard when I tried to push myself to my feet, and my hand instinctively closed around it. Next thing I knew I was engulfed in water that somehow didn't make me wet and my clothes. . ." Mariko gestured to indicate the sailor fuku she was no longer wearing. "Well, you saw what happened."

Rio looked distinctly smug but had the good sense to say nothing about how she had been proven right. Of course, Mizuki's elbow in her ribs may have helped a bit with that. They both sat on Chibiusa's bed, their backs against the wall, and had kept silent during Mariko's account of what had happened. Akemi sat in the desk chair, her head bowed, not meeting anyone's gaze. Chibiusa was on the floor, leaning against the foot of her bed, and she seemed to be completely unaware of what was going on. She held the Jupiter pen in one hand, rhythmically clenching and opening her fist around it, apparent mesmerized by the action.

Mariko seemed oblivious to the tension; she wouldn't sit down and paced back in forth in the room's small confines, bouncing up on her toes any time she was forced to stop walking. The rapid flow of words that told her story had stopped, but her smile was fixed and could almost be described as radiant. It was clear that she didn't believe there would be any further difficulties.

Akemi was another thing entirely, as was proved by the glare in her eyes when she finally lifted her head and looked at her friends. Mizuki opened her mouth to say something encouraging but was forestalled when Akemi shot to her feet and snatched the Jupiter pen from Chibiusa's hands. The expression of distaste that crossed her features spoke volumes about her feelings, as did the speed with which she made for the door of the room.

Mizuki and Rio both clambered to their feet, but it was Mariko who laid a hand on Akemi's arm and forestalled the exit. "Akemi -"

Akemi tugged her arm free and vehemently shook her head. "I know what you're going to say and the answer is no. You can't help me with this. And frankly I don't want you to." She swept a quick glance around the room, taking in all of her friends. "If I can't do this on my own it might not be worth doing," she said before departing. They could hear her steps clattering down the stairs, and Usagi's muffled voice, questioning, before the front door slammed with a resounding _thud_.

Rio, Mariko and Mizuki all exchanged glances. In unspoken agreement they moved as a unit to leave the room, only to be stopped by the sight of Usagi at the base of the small stairway. She shook her head.

"But we can't leave her alone!" Mizuki said, troubled. "It's dangerous and she's vulnerable."

"You have to leave her alone," Usagi replied, sounding almost unnaturally calm.

"But Mizuki's right," Rio put in. "She _is_ vulnerable right now; Chaos knows what she is and she can't protect herself."

Usagi's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "What do you mean Chaos knows what she is?"

Rio looked at all the others in the small room and saw identical baffled expressions on their faces. "That's what happened today, at the shrine," she said. "That. . . wind, for lack of a better term. That was it, or him, if you prefer. Chaos. Sort of. . . I don't know, scanning us would be the best word for it." She glanced again at the others. "Didn't you feel it?"

"No, but I bet your mother did," Usagi replied, eyes on Rio. "She was acting a little strange when we left." She grew quiet and thoughtful for a moment before her expression hardened and she started snapping out orders. "Mizuki and Mariko, find Akemi and stick to her like glue. There may not be any danger until she achieves her transformation but best not to take any chances. Rio, get back to the shrine and grill your mother; I want to know everything she felt or sensed during that attack. And Chibiusa. . ."

Chibiusa's head snapped up as soon as her mother said her name, but the vacant expression in her eyes showed that she wasn't completely with them. She blinked several times, slowly, and stared at her empty hands; hands that had been holding the Jupiter Pen not so very long ago.

"Chibiusa!"

Awareness came back into her eyes and face when her mother called to her. She got to her feet, hands slowly clenching into fists at her sides. Her gazed worked its way around the room.

"Where's Seiya?"

_Always this same park_, Seiya said to himself as he walked through the gate. _You would almost believe that I can't have a good think anywhere else._

And maybe he could think his way through problems elsewhere, but no other place brought the same sense of peace. This park had been a refuge, for both himself and Chibiusa, for so long that it was the most natural place to come to calm his teeming brain. He knew. Like Rio he had felt what was in that wind. Unlike her, though, he knew who the target had been. He just couldn't figure out why.

"Rough day, huh?" The words jolted Seiya out of his turbulent thoughts and he looked up, squinting against the slanting light. The setting sun shining on silver-white hair told him who his companion was even before he saw Helios' face.

"What do you want?" Seiya asked, not even trying to be polite. "Aren't you supposed to be joined at the hip with my sister, or something?"

Helios just smiled, ignoring the rudeness and implied insults. He sat on the bench beside Seiya. "I'm supposed to be helping your sister," he replied calmly. "And right now the best way I can help her is by helping you."

Seiya snorted, but didn't reply. He felt no need, and certainly no desire, to unload his thoughts and feelings. Especially not to Helios. What could some semi-ephemeral priest of Elysion know about anything? He didn't actually live in the real world, and barely existed as a human being. And all of that spiritual guidance nonsense? Totally useless!

"Seiya, are you all right?"

The voice sounded indistinct, like it came from a long distance away, but it was enough to pull him back. Seiya blinked several times, rapidly, clearing the reddish haze that had obscured his vision and thoughts. It felt almost like surfacing from under murky water; the sudden onslaught of pure sunlight was almost painful. Helios was studying his face, concern creasing his brow. "Where were you?" he asked.

"What? I don't -" Seiya's words came to an abrupt end. He _had_ gone somewhere, disappearing into a part of his heart and mind that he had never suspected existed. A dark place, full of anger, hate, and disgust. He didn't understand what had happened; he could readily admit that he didn't think much of Helios, but such negative and abusive thoughts were totally out of character.

Helios, still studying the younger man's face, seemed to understand. "Tell me," he said quietly.

Seiya hesitated, not because he was still reluctant to talk to Helios, but because he wasn't sure of how to put into words the things that he had felt. That and he really had no idea what was happening. He didn't want to discuss it until he knew more for himself, but the odds were definitely in favor of Helios being able to help, in that regard at least. But before he could even make up his mind Helios sighed and stood.

"OK, I can accept that you don't what to talk about whatever-this-is," he said. "Or whatever you think it is. But just remember this; I'm not here solely to help and protect your sister." He laid a hand on Seiya's shoulder. "I am the guardian priest for the entire Earth kingdom, and everyone connected to it. You included." He started to walk away.

"Wait!" Seiya called out, surging to his feet and walking after Helios. When they were walking side by side he continued. "It's not that I don't want to talk about it," Seiya said. "I'm just not sure what to say."

"About?"

Seiya shrugged. "Any of it. Even you have to admit it's been a pretty confusing day."

Helios didn't respond immediately, just continued walking. When they reached the park gate they both turned in the opposite direction from the house, an instinct that their conversation, not over by any means, was best conducted away from everyone else. Helios continued in silence, knowing it would be best for Seiya to speak first. Besides, he had a feeling he knew what was going on in the younger boy's brain and didn't want to frighten him with that knowledge.

"You felt it this afternoon, didn't you?"

Helios didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Yes, I did. I'm not sure who, or what, the target was, though."

Seiya glanced at his companion out of the corner of his eye. "Chibiusa?"

Helios shrugged. "I thought so; I was attacked first, and attacking me is a strike against her. I'm not so sure, now. It could have been any of the girls."

"Mariko. . ." Seiya cleared his throat, slightly embarrassed by the catch in his voice when he said her name. "I was scared it was her," he admitted.

"You like her." It wasn't a question and Seiya's only reaction was a betraying flush on his cheeks. Helios noticed and pressed his lips together to hide his smile. "Akemi was with you when you were struck, though."

Seiya gave that some thought, but shook his head. "No, whatever was in that wind wasn't interested in her," he said. He swallowed. "It was me." Those words were whispered.

Helios briefly stumbled but otherwise didn't react to Seiya's assertion. He was surprised, but in a way not. It was becoming increasingly clear that things were not as simple as what they had first assumed. Whatever was going on with destiny it went deeper, and spread wider, than anyone had first thought.

He became aware of an uncomfortable and expectant silence and turned his head to look at his companion. His first instinct was to deny the possibility that Seiya had been targeted in what had happened at the shrine, but he knew that that would just put off what was now inevitable. Better to confront all of it straight on. "What did you feel, exactly?" Helios asked. "Or as exact as you can be."

Seiya didn't hesitate, saying the first thing that came to his mind as he remembered. "Anger," he said. "Powerful, all consuming anger."

"You mean rage?"

Seiya shook his head. "No, rage would have been uncontrolled. This was. . ." He thought for a few moments. "There was intelligence in command of everything. It was in control of the emotion, not the other way around."

Helios nodded his understanding; it made a certain amount of sense. "And why do you think it was targeting you?" he asked.

Seiya took a deep breath and swallowed audibly. "It got inside my head, my brain," he said, fighting to control the emotional quaver in his voice. "I could feel it picking through my thoughts and feelings. Whatever it was it knows everything that I do. About everything."

"Let's stop saying 'whatever it was"," Helios said, halting and taking hold of Seiya to bring him to a stop. "I think we all know what it is that we're now dealing with."

Seiya nodded. "Chaos."

"Chaos." Helios started walking again, but this time in the opposite direction, heading back toward the house. "Come on," he called over his shoulder. "We've got some help to recruit."

Mizuki and Mariko caught up with Akemi at the bus station near their school. It was the third place they had gone in their efforts to find her, and Mizuki was obviously hot, tired and frustrated. Mariko was as well, just better at hiding it.

"You are not an easy person to track down," Mariko said, walking beside Akemi to their favorite oak tree on the school grounds, Mizuki trailing behind.

"Yeah, well, that was deliberate, you know," Akemi replied, sounding disgruntled. "I didn't exactly want to be found."

"Too bad," Mizuki said, not bothering to hide the anger in her voice. "You're stuck with us. Things are too unsettled right now and without your powers you are the most vulnerable person, so get used to having at least one of us with you at all times." She flopped onto the grass beneath the tree, the subject closed as far as she was concerned.

Mariko sighed and rolled her eyes; she would have been more circumspect in how they approached Akemi, but she couldn't deny that Mizuki got her point across. Akemi blushed and nervously worried her bottom lip between her teeth. Clearly she was feeling uncertain about wanting to be alone in order to figure out where she fit into the big picture.

"Fair enough," Akemi said, sitting down beside Mizuki and taking the Jupiter Pen out of her pocket. She held it loosely, but tension was visible in every line of her body. Mizuki, sprawled underneath the tree with her eyes half closed, looking as if she didn't have a care in the world, noticed but kept her mouth shut. Now was not the time for more bluntness, but rather for Mariko's brand of tact.

Mariko watched the pair of them for some moments, unsure what she could say to make anything better. Everything was still too new for her and she didn't yet feel comfortable with the idea of any of it. She had transformed, yes, but still had no idea what her powers were, or what she was capable of. How was she supposed to help Akemi? One thing she did know for certain, though.

"You can't force it, you know. What happened to me today proves that."

Akemi looked up, not pretending to misunderstand. "So I just wait?" she asked, no longer sounding angry, but infinitely sad. "Wait, while the rest of you need my help and the danger we're all in grows increasingly larger?" She snorted. "How can I accept that?"

"You just do," Mizuki put in, not moving from her relaxed position. "You can't change it, so there's little point in obsessing over it."

"I wasn't -"

"Yes, you were," Mizuki interrupted, pulling herself to a sitting position. "You always do." She looked at Mariko. "It's one thing the two of you have in common; fretting about what you can't control."

Mariko finally sat down. "Guilty," she said with a smile. She met Akemi's eyes. "If I could tell you how to stop worrying I would. But no one can figure that out except you."

Akemi nodded and pushed the transformation pen back in her pocket. She lay down with a sigh, crossing her arms beneath her head. "That's not the only thing I'm worried about, though," she said. "There was something strange about what happened at Hikawa this afternoon."

"Yeah, we know," Mizuki responded, picking a blade of grass and shredding it in her hands. "Rio said that she felt the enemy in that wind."

Akemi frowned slightly. "I don't know about that, but there was definitely something. . ." She thought for a moment. "Something malevolent there. It was totally focused on Seiya."

It took a little bit of time for her words to sink in, but when they did Mariko shot to her feet. "What? What do you mean 'focused"?"

Akemi sat up, caught by the fear she heard in Mariko's voice. Mizuki was also suddenly more alert and attentive to the conversation. "That wind," Akemi said. "I felt it touch me, in my mind and heart, and just as quickly dismiss me. But it – clung would be the best word – it clung to Seiya. Like he had something that the enemy wanted, or needed. Like it could be pulled out of Seiya."

Mizuki felt a chill as she remembered things her mother had told her about Sailor Galaxia and Chaos. "Or possessed from within," she whispered.

Mariko blanched, all of the blood draining from her face as the import of Mizuki's words hit home. "You think. . ." Her voice trailed off as she swallowed hard. She met the eyes of each of her friends in turn and saw her own fear and anxiety reflected there. "We have to get back to the house. Now."


	19. Chapter 19

Rio arrived home at about the same time as Mizuki and Mariko had caught up with Akemi. Like the other three girls she was hot, tired, and somewhat exasperated. She recognized the importance of what she had felt during the attack earlier that day and was (in her mind) justifiably angry that her mother hadn't shared her suspicions with Usagi and the other adult Guardians. She felt that she understood why Rei had kept quiet, and maybe it had been wrong of her to spill the beans, but she was more than ever convinced that keeping secrets, how ever temporary, was not the way for all of them to relate to each other.

She found her mother in the heart of the shrine, her mind far away in the flames of a fire reading. She hung back, not wanting to interrupt what could be the most important fire reading she had even seen. Normally she would have turned her back on the room, eager to escape the creeping feeling that worked its way up her spine and across her skin whenever she came too close to the flames. That day she stayed, catching a sort of backwash of what her mother was sensing. The longer it went on the colder she felt, despite the heat in the room.

Finally there was a deep sigh and Rei slumped before the fire, shoulders bent and head bowed. Rio stepped forward and laid a hand on one of her mother's shoulders, lightly, just to make her presence felt.

Rei lifted her head. "Did you feel it?" she asked, not looking at her daughter.

There was no point in pretending not to understand. "Yes," Rio replied, her voice soft. It was an acknowledgment not only of the presence of Chaos earlier that day, but of what had been seen in the flames. She shivered, chilled beyond bearing on the inside.

Rei saw the shiver and smiled slightly. "I agree," she said, rising slowly to her feet. She stumbled on unsteady legs; Rio caught her arm and steadied her. They looked in each other's eyes, sharing the concern and fear.

"What do we do?" Rio asked, desperately hoping that her mother would have a solution to all the problems.

"We get to Usagi and tell her what we know."

Usagi was worried. Beyond worried, in fact. Events were moving faster than she had expected, and she felt out of her depth in a way she hadn't experienced in decades. Too many things were still clouded; too many possibilities still unclear. And at a moment when she most needed to be thinking clearly she found herself unable to do so. It was all just a jumble in her mind, no disparate facts at all.

Seiya's whereabouts where still unknown, but that wasn't what was bothering her the most. Usagi knew her son; he'd come home as soon as he worked through whatever was bothering him. And after the afternoon they had all had there was likely to be a lot of things bothering him.

The front door opened and Usagi rose to her feet. "Seiya?" she called.

"Sorry, hate to disappoint you."

Usagi all but ran to the door and threw herself into her husband's arms. Mamoru was surprised, and full of questions, but he recognized her need to be comforted, for however brief a moment. He held her, resting his cheek against the top of her head, until he felt her take a deep breath and release it with a heartfelt sigh. Then he released her and took a step back to meet her gaze.

"What happened?" he asked.

Usagi made a sound suspiciously like a snort. "What didn't happen?" she replied, grinning. "On the plus side Mariko transformed and gained her powers. As Sailor Mercury, oddly enough."

Mamoru's eyes widened at that piece of news, but he saved those questions. "And on the negative side?"

Usagi shook her head. "I'm not really sure, except Chibiusa is pretty well spaced out, Seiya has disappeared, and Rei knows something but hasn't told the rest of us." She led the way towards the stairs at the rear of the hall. "Helios seems to have disappeared as well, but Chibiusa assured me he's with Seiya. Trying to get me to stop worrying, I suppose. How she knows that, though, is beyond me."

Mamoru smiled. "Not hard to guess, I think. Sailor Guardian of Earth, Guardian Priest of the Earth Kingdom. . . There has to be a connection in there somewhere."

Usagi shot him an unpleasant look. "I hope that's meant to cheer me up, because it's definitely not working as humor." She sighed. "Maybe you can talk to Chibiusa, because she's not sharing anything with me right now."

"Sharing anything about what? You still haven't told me what happened today." So Usagi told him everything of any importance that had happened that afternoon, including her argument with Minako and the surprise that Mariko and Akemi were apparently each the opposite of what was expected of them as Guardians. He was puzzled by her description of the attack at Hikawa Shrine; the pattern didn't seem to fit with everything they knew.

"So will you talk to her? You may be able to get through in a way I can't, now that the Earth Kingdom connection has been strengthened." Usagi shrugged and blinked back tears. "I feel so helpless," she whispered. "I've always been her guide, but now. . ."

Mamoru took hold of her shoulders and gave her a slight shake. "You're still her guide," he reminded her, his voice forceful. "That will never change, no matter what happens between Chibiusa and I." He took a deep breath. "But right now you need to focus on Seiya; you're the best person to help him. You know, because of that Moon Kingdom thing," he concluded with a smile, relieved to see Usagi smile in return.

"So what you're telling me is I should just try to stay calm and wait for him to come home?"

"Pretty much so, yes." He have her a brief kiss and moved past her to climb the stairs. "I'll see what I can do with Chibiusa."

At the base of the smaller staircase that led to his daughter's room Mamoru stopped and knocked on the wall. "Chibiusa?" he called.

In a few seconds she appeared, looking down at him with a pale face and wide eyes. "Dad!" She quickly descended the steps, grabbed his hand and pulled him up with her. Once in the room she sat on her bed, leaving him the desk chair. There was no sign that she had recently been, in Usagi's words, pretty well spaced out. She looked frightened, yes, but determined.

"Did Mom tell you what happened today?" she asked.

Mamoru nodded. "She did. A lot of surprises and shocks to absorb," he went on, coming as close as he dared to hinting that she might have had trouble dealing with things.

Chibiusa waved it off. "Yeah, well, I've got it all absorbed now, thanks." She looked at him, mouth twisted in a wry smile. "Mom told you that I kind of checked out, didn't she?" When he nodded she grinned. "I suppose I did, for a bit. But I've got a handle on things now."

"Including the Mercury/Jupiter swap?" he asked. "That certainly has taken me by surprise."

"We kind of expected it," Chibiusa said, flushing slightly and rubbing her nose. "Rio more or less theorized that that would be the case." She glanced at her father, noting the shock on his face. "Guess we neglected to tell you about that," she commented. He acknowledged that with a rueful grin.

"And now everyone is convinced that Akemi is the most vulnerable, because she hasn't yet transformed."

"But you don't agree," Mamoru said, watching her face closely. "Why not?"

Chibiusa wrapped her arms around herself, as if she were cold. "Akemi is vulnerable, but not the most. She _will_ awaken and transform, and probably sooner rather than later. And as soon as she does she'll have access to her powers, and be able to defend herself."

Mamoru saw where she was going. "But your brother won't, will he?" he asked quietly, feeling his heart clench.

She shook her head and blinked back tears. "He transformed, but other than that one time he's never shown any sign of powers. And that one time was totally involuntary." She took a deep breath. "He's in the most danger right now."

"Why haven't you told your mother this? She thinks everything is fine because you told her that Helios was with Seiya!"

"So long as Helios is with him everything _is_ fine," Chibiusa insisted. "He'll not let any harm come to a member of the Earth Kingdom family." She stopped speaking as she became aware of raised voices downstairs. She stood and when to the head of the stairs. "What's going on?"

They both listened, unable to make out any words or recognize any voices. The front door slammed and more voices were added to the mix. No one sounded angry but the urgency was unmistakable. Then they both heard clear as anything "We have to find him!"

"Mariko!" Chibiusa gasped and started down the steps with her father on her heels. They arrived to find the living room crowded with people and everyone continuing to speak louder, struggling to be heard. Rei seemed to be the only person not shouting; indeed she wasn't speaking at all, but her face was abnormally pale and her lips were compressed in a tight line. Mamoru knew that look; an extended fire reading was always exhausting for her, but when she saw something that effected people she cared about it was that much worse. It was time to end this unproductive discussion. He put two fingers in his mouth and let out a piercing whistle.

Silence descended, and all eyes turned to him. Rei had a tiny smile playing around her lips; he answered it with a grin of his own. Usagi opened her mouth to speak but he held up a hand to forestall her words. "I think what Rei has to say may be the most important thing," he said. "And of most immediate need."

Rei acknowledged that with a nod. "Mamoru is correct; this is important. But quickly told." She paused for a moment to gather her thoughts. "There was a presence in the wind we experienced this afternoon. It felt familiar; a lot like the auras of the Animamates and Galaxia. There was also an intelligence, and it was looking for something."

"Or someone," Mariko put in. "That's why we have to find Seiya, and fast." She looked at Akemi, the plea clear in her eyes.

Akemi got the message, and took up the story. "When we were attacked at the shrine this afternoon I felt that same presence, but it wasn't interested in me. It definitely took a closer – look, for lack of a better word – at Seiya."

"But it grabbed Mariko last," Usagi said, looking confused. "And that was when everything froze."

"To buy itself time," Rio answered the unspoken question. "If you think about it none of us truly knows how much time passed. I know it didn't feel like long, but we can't know for sure. It could have been an hour."

"OK, I can accept that," Usagi replied before turning back to Rei. "So is this the point where you tell us what you saw in the fire reading?"

"It is," Rei confirmed with an emphatic nod. "Although you probably have a pretty good idea what I'm going to say, all things considered."

Usagi looked unhappy, her eyes enormous in her pale face. "That was Chaos this afternoon. He freed himself from Henderson, for whatever reason, and is now directly coming after us." She took a deep breath. "More specifically he's coming after my son."

Mamoru started to speak, desperate to deny that fact, but remembered Chibiusa's words to him not many moments ago. _He's in the most danger right now._ It was true, and undeniable. That Seiya was powerful no one would deny, but there was too much still unknown. A son of the Moon Kingdom had never happened before. They couldn't even take an educated guess as to what form his powers would take.

"So -" His voice caught and he cleared his throat. "So what do we do now?"

"One thing is we don't panic," a new voice interjected.

Everyone turned to face the newcomer except Usagi. Mamoru was watching her and he noticed the perceptible stiffening of her entire body, the tightening of the muscles across her shoulders and up her neck. Even if he hadn't recognized the voice he would have known who it was based on his wife's body language. There was only one person in all the world that could elicit that reaction: Luna.

Chibiusa had also made note of her mother's reaction and remembered Usagi's reluctance to tell Luna anything of what was happening. Although she understood the reasoning she didn't agree with it, so she tuned to Luna and spoke. "Nobody's panicking. Yet." She looked at everyone else in the room, her mother last. "But I think it's important we find Seiya and learn whatever he knows."

Usagi jerked her head in a small nod, which Chibiusa took to mean agreement with that plan. "Mariko, why don't you go out to look for him," she said with a nod toward her friend. "You know that park where he goes to think. And take Akemi and Mizuki with you."

The three girls made their way to the door, and after a brief glance at all of the tense adults in the room Rio followed them, a move that earned her a smile of thanks from her mother. The conversation that was coming was likely to get somewhat ugly, and the girls' positions as Guardians were still too untested to subject them to it.

Once the front door closed behind the four of them Luna turned to Usagi, outrage radiating from every inch of her. "What is all of this about?" she asked, her voice rising with her emotions. "And what do you think you son has to do with? You know he won't be taking part in any battle; he has no powers." She paused for breath before getting to the real issue, at least in her mind "And why hasn't anyone told me what's going on?!"

"His name is Seiya," Usagi put in, her voice soft despite the anger visible in every line of her body. "And the reason no one told you about it is because you would consider it 'nonsense'. But it's past time for you to face the fact that a _prince_ of the Moon Kingdom was born. Not only was he born, but _he's_ the heir and new Guardian of the Moon."

Luna blanched and her jaw dropped. Then the color rushed back to her face with a fresh burst of anger. She drew breath to speak but was forestalled by the arrival of Artemis, who laid his hands on her shoulders and shook his head when she turned to face him.

"I told you what was going to happen," he said with a hint of a smile. "But as usual you preferred to think you, and only you, were in the right. We – all of us – have wasted valuable time in not being aligned on this issue. That stops now."

"It's true, Luna," Chibiusa added. "Seiya has the Silver Crystal, and he transformed with it. Just once, but the fact is undeniable. I saw it. And -" She reached into her pocket and withdrew her own transformation brooch, holding it so that Luna could clearly see the symbol of Earth etched on its surface.

Luna looked as if she still wanted to argue; her face was pinched and a frown created a furrow between her eyebrows. Mamoru felt his own anger start to swell, but he controlled the urge to verbally lash out at her. Artemis had been right; too much time had already been wasted in concealing things and not talking. Giving free rein to emotions would be useless and counter-productive.

"We all know that we're not going to agree on every point," Mamoru said, looking directly at Luna. "But the facts are the facts, and all the arguing isn't going to change that."

"Perhaps if I knew all of the facts I'd agree," Luna replied, still looking slightly mutinous.

Usagi looked like she wanted to spill everything in the rudest, most excoriating language she could use, but she stepped back when Rei laid a hand on her arm. They exchanged a meaningful look before Rei launched into a concise recital of what had happened, and what they knew, to that point. Luna's eyes were the size of dinner plates by the time she was done.

"And you all think that the target of this afternoon's attack at the shrine was Seiya?" she asked, looking incredulous despite her obvious surprise.

"It makes the most sense," Artemis answered her. "Even without having transformed at the time Akemi and Mariko were known quantities; who they are and what powers they'd have. Seiya is the wild card in the whole situation."

Usagi covered her face with her hands. "That makes me feel so much better," she said, her voice muffled.

"We need something more solid, though," Luna said, moving to the living room where she had room to pace. "I agree that this is the most likely scenario, but the bottom line is it's still just speculation."

Mamoru spoke for the first time since coming downstairs. "Luna's right. We need to know for sure. Not just the question of who was the target today; we need to know what Seiya's powers might be." He looked at his daughter. "Any ideas?"

Chibiusa shook her head. "No. I wish to God I did."

"We need to force this," Usagi said, sounding frightened but determined. "Stress Seiya, and the Silver Crystal, until something happens. Anything."

"That may not be the best idea," Chibiusa put in. "But since we don't have much choice we need to do it in a situation that we can control." She smiled. "Luckily I know just the person to help with that."


	20. Chapter 20

Mariko raced down the street toward the park, aware of the unmistakable sensation that time was running out. She had sent Rio, Akemi and Mizuki to check the other streets in the immediate area but had chosen the most direct route for herself. As the sun sank lower in the sky she couldn't stop the feeling of urgency that was pulling at her heart and her mind. Night was traditionally the time that the soul was most vulnerable, and the last thing Seiya needed was one more thing against him.

It was already dark enough where she was for the streetlamps to come on, and she was unaccountably nervous as she passed between those pools of light. There was that tingle in the hair at the nape of her neck that told her she was being watched, but it didn't feel threatening. She pushed the thought out of her mind; now was not the time for questions and confusion. She had a job to do, and nothing had mattered more in her short life.

She skidded to a sudden stop when she saw two figures coming toward her from the direction of the park where she and Seiya had talked earlier that day. A streetlamp haloed the silver hair of one, and polished the sable of the other. Mariko felt her heart leap. "Seiya!" she called out.

His head snapped around at the sound of her voice and he took two steps toward her. Helios clasped his arm, but Seiya shrugged him off. They ran toward each other, stopping when they were close enough to each clasp the other's arms

"Are you all right?" Mariko asked. She squeezed his arms up to his shoulders, making him grin. It felt surprisingly right after all of the day's drama.

"I'm fine," he replied, removing her hands from his shoulders and holding on to them. "Were you worried?" he asked, letting the grin show through again.

Mariko pulled one of her hands free and smacked him lightly on the arm. "We all were, you idiot," she said with an answering smile. She looked past Seiya as Helios came up to them. The priest had a secretive little smile on his face that widened when he saw their clasped hands. Mariko pulled her other hand free and took a step back. She gave an awkward cough, but before she could speak again Helios chimed in.

"I'm guessing you've all figured it out, then?" he asked, studying Mariko's face. "I'd ask how but at a guess I'd say Rei and Rio are involved."

"And Akemi," Mariko replied with a proud lift of her chin. "She recognized that Seiya was the focus of this afternoon's attack. Even if she didn't know why. Mizuki put the rest of the pieces together."

"MARIKO!"

All three turned toward the sound of a new voice and saw Akemi, Rio and Mizuki approaching from the alley across the street. They arrived, all slightly breathless.

"You found him!" Akemi exclaimed. "Them. Both of them." She smiled at Helios. "Chibiusa said it would all be fine as long as you were with Seiya."

"I'm glad to see that's true," Rio quietly spoke.

Mizuki was the only one not involved in the conversation. She kept looking over her shoulder and in the direction of the setting sun. She appeared distinctly uneasy. "We need to get back to the house," she finally spoke. "As quick as we can," she added, casting another worried glance at the waning sunlight.

Helios, who was looking in the opposite direction, shook his head. "It's too late," he said. "Back into the park. Quickly!"

No one asked any questions; they all instinctively ran toward the gate, passing underneath it's arch and making their way to the covered area that housed a few picnic tables.

"What's going on?" Akemi breathlessly asked, one hand pressed to her midsection.

Rio took a step back in the direction they came. "He's coming," she announced, sounding unnaturally calm. She glanced over her shoulder at Helios. "The park gate," she said, pointing.

"It's like a shrine!" Mariko exclaimed. "I noticed that earlier today. Will that keep us safe?"

"It'll help," Helios replied, like Rio sounding oddly calm. "Akemi, you and Seiya need to get away from here as best you can. The rest of you, transform!"

"MARS POWER!"

"MERCURY POWER!"

"VENUS POWER!"

Seiya and Akemi winced away from the rush of air, fire and water as the girls transformed. He grabbed her arm and started to run, heading toward where he knew there was a small maintenance building. He could hear Akemi calling for him to stop, and the sounds of a fight growing louder behind them, but he didn't hesitate. When they got to the building he pulled Akemi behind it, away from the battle, and pushed her to the ground.

"Stay here!" he ordered, before racing back to the fight, one thought in his head. _Silver Crystal!_ he mentally pleaded. _ Help me!_

Akemi lay stunned for a moment, breathing heavily, her heart pounding. She knew that her friends where in trouble and there she was, powerless to assist them. Tears of impotent fury filled her eyes as she pushed herself to her knees, hands clenching the earth.

"We can't keep doing this!" Mizuki called out after firing yet another futile Crescent Beam attack. "There's nothing there!"

Rio stood not far away, purple flames filling her left hand. There was a loud thrashing in some bushes and she spun to face that direction, ready to attack. But she suddenly clenched her hand closed, dousing the fire. She raised her right hand, and cocked her head, listening. "Wait for it," she said, so quietly that her companions almost didn't hear her.

The nearest streetlamp blinked twice and went out, intensifying the darkness. There was a sudden sound, like a giant in-drawn breath, then a wind strong enough to pull all four of them toward the patch of greatest dark, their feet scratching across the concrete.

"Now?" Mariko asked, having to shout over the sound of rushing air.

"Wait!" Rio repeated. They moved closer, perhaps another foot, before purple flames glowed in the darkness. "NOW!" Rio commanded.

Fire, water, and a beam of light all streaked in the same direction, simultaneously striking the streetlamp, which showed every sign of being alive. They heard something like a groan before the wind that was pulling them in stopped. A split-second later, however, it blasted outward, catching them all unawares and blowing them off their feet. Just as quickly the streetlamp flared back to brightness. Then it moved.

Helios was the first to regain his senses, but he found that he could barely move. He turned his head and saw the three young Guardians lying nearby, unconscious. He could also just raise his head enough to track the movements of the now alive streetlamp. There was no denying it; the situation was getting increasingly desperate. "Mariko!" he heard a voice called out, and Helios felt his heart stop. It was Seiya, deliberately entering a situation he knew was a grave danger to him.

_NO!_ he tried to cry out, but like much of the rest of his body his voice was out of commission. He could only watch, helpless, as Seiya knelt beside Mariko. It was entirely too close to that possessed streetlamp for comfort.

Mariko stirred as soon as Seiya laid a hand on her shoulder. Her eyes flickered open and she moaned, raising a hand to her forehead. "What happened?"

"No idea," Seiya replied. He was perfectly aware of the streetlamp; he had felt the presence of Chaos the moment it had taken control of the object. But he was more concerned about the condition of the girls and priest; he pressed a hand to the concrete and a silver glow started to spread out, tendrils touching Rio, Mizuki, and Helios.

With a gasp Helios felt himself freed and rose to his feet as the other two girls came to and sat up. Mariko got to her knees, leaning heavily against Seiya as her head swam. "What did you just do?" she whispered.

Seiya stared at his hand. "I'm not sure," he replied. "It just felt like the right thing."

"I'll say," Mariko said, looking at the other three as they stood and, with a few shakes of their heads, started to walk closer. She looked up at Seiya, her eyes shining in the dim light. "That was amazing."

He blushed, but didn't acknowledge her praise. "Can you stand?" he asked, holding her arms and rising to his feet, half lifting her with him.

"I think so," she said. "My head hurts, though."

"You probably banged it pretty good when you fell." Seiya laid a hand on the back of her head. "Does that help?"

Mariko closed her eyes and nodded. "It's warm," she sighed. "Like when hot tea hits your sto-" Her words broke off when Seiya gave a wordless cry and the warmth disappeared. She spun around to see him caught by the errant lamp, wiring from where it's head had been wrapped around his neck and steadily tightening.

"SEIYA!" Rio shouted as flames erupted in her hand. She didn't have time to launch her attack, though, because at that moment there was a sizzle of static electricity around them and everyone's hair stood on end. Then, with a suddenness that took everyone by surprise there was a _CRACK_ and flash of lightning.

It took a few moments for the blue spots to clear from their vision, but the sight that greeted them couldn't have been more welcome. Akemi stood in the center of the entire group, her dark green skirt and the pink accents of her fuku, as well as her hair, still floating from the excess of static in the air. Her lightning had blasted a hole in the roof of the picnic shelter and the concrete beneath her feet was scorched. A new Sailor Jupiter had unmistakably awakened.

The moment's respite broke when the streetlamp moved again, this time towards Akemi. Mariko darted forward to help Seiya, who lay on the ground coughing and gasping as his breath came back, ignoring the wires that were snaking their way toward her friend. Rio and Mizuki both prepared to continue the fight, but froze when they heard Akemi laugh. One of the wires had reached her, but it barely touched her foot before it drew quickly back, as if in pain.

"Do you seriously want to fight _me_ with something electrical?" Akemi spoke, still with a hint of laughter in her voice. "I think you'll probably regret that." The sizzling build-up of static began again.

Mariko quickly saw the best opportunity they had to finish the battle. "Mercury Aqua Mist!" She sprayed water against the base of the streetlamp, making a substantial puddle around it. "Akemi! Strike the puddle!"

"SUPREME THUNDER!"

The water and electricity combination worked as Mariko had hoped. There was a flash, a high pitched keening sound, and a prolonged crackling. When the mist and steam cleared all that was left of the streetlamp was a crater in the ground and a smoking lump of metal. The wind of Chaos gave one final, fierce tug on their hair and clothes, but it was moving away from them. It was over. For now at least.

Seiya started coughing again and Mariko turned her attention to him. "Are you all right?"

He nodded and pressed a hand against his throat. "I think so," he replied, his voice hoarse. "Although I can't seem to use that healing power on myself." He got to his feet with her help. "That was quick thinking," he told Mariko. "And Akemi. . ." He looked her up and down, taking it all in as she smiled. "Wow. Just wow."

"Yeah, wow," Mizuki said, her transformation coming undone in a flash of orange light. "But if we really want to live to fight another day we need to return to the house. Now."

No one argued with that order.

Seiya left school the next afternoon in something of a bad mood. His throat was still sore and his voice scratchy, although his father had been able to heal the worst of the exterior bruises. His friends and classmates had all been curious, but he cut the questions short by saying he was probably coming down with a cold. The truth wasn't exactly something he could tell any of them anyway.

When they had gotten back to house the night before Chibiusa had thrown herself at him in a surprisingly exuberant hug, one that he had been moved to return wholeheartedly. Her mood quickly degenerated, though, and she had started berating Helios, who accepted it all with a grin. The story of what had happened in the park was quickly told; Akemi accepting the accolades with a graceful bow and a smile.

His mother and father had argued against him going to school the next day. Indeed Usagi was against him leaving the house at all until they figured everything out and he'd be safe. It had been Luna, of all people, who had the last word. "He can handle himself," she had said before looking him directly in the eye. "But whatever else you do, Seiya, from this point forward you will never – and I mean NEVER – leave this house without the Silver Crystal."

He had taken her warning to heart, and even now the Crystal rested in the inside pocket of his jacket. It was still inside the Moon Locket that had belonged to Chibiusa, but Artemis had assured him that when he gained a greater mastery over it that would change. Even inside the locket, though, it radiated warmth and an aura of power and confidence; a confidence that his teacher had noticed was different about him. All in all it was an immense relief to walk out of the building at the end of the day.

"Hey."

His head snapped up to see Mariko leaning against the wall, and as often happened in her presence a blush started to climb his cheeks. That didn't do anything to improve his already black mood.

"What are you doing here?" he gruffly asked, walking by her without hesitating.

Mariko moved away from the wall and easily fell into step beside him. "Guard duty," she answered his question. "The others wanted to play rock-paper-scissors to decide who got the task, but then I volunteered." She grinned. "I thought I could at least make it a bit easier for you, since Usa pointed out that you were bound to dislike the idea of being guarded."

Seiya looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "How is it easier if it's you doing the guarding?"

Mariko shrugged. "Good company?" she asked with a grin before slipping a hand into his. "I also wanted a chance to talk to you alone. And not about battles, fighting, or being any sort of planetary Guardian."

Seiya looked down at their clasped hands and then up at her face. With a jolt of surprise he saw that she was blushing also, and that made him happier, for some reason. Actually, not for some reason; he knew exactly why his heart lifted at the sight. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I don't see any need to talk, do you?" He lifted their joined hands. "Seems we understand each other pretty well without that."

They continued their walk to catch the bus home, noticeably closer together.

Chibiusa was so tired she thought she might fall asleep in her plate. The afternoon had featured another grueling training session with Helios, and left her with the feeling that she would never gain control over her new powers. Tales of Akemi's proficiency the night before certainly hadn't helped, but she couldn't be angry with her friends. Not when she was as dependent on them as she was at the moment.

And Seiya. She looked at him from under her lashes, noting the private little smile that was playing with the corners of his mouth. He was even more vulnerable than she, and he was under direct threat. She felt her hand clenching into a fist. She had to learn, and master, her powers if she was going to help him. Although the healing he had done was proof that he wasn't completely powerless it was hardly an offensive attack. They all needed to help and protect him.

Mariko had certainly been willing to do her part that day, volunteering to escort Seiya home. Oddly enough she had been smiling that same, private smile when she rejoined the others. Chibiusa bit her lower lip to keep herself from grinning; it was pretty clear that something had happened between the pair of them. She was glad; it was a bright spot in an otherwise gloomy situation.

After dinner homework took a backseat to getting some rest. After a long soak in the bath to get rid of some of the aches Chibiusa crawled beneath the covers with a sigh. She was asleep in minutes.

_The darkness was like a physical force. She spun around, looking for any light to guide her way. But it remained impenetrable, pressing against her, body, mind, and soul. She could feel the fear welling in her, threatening to erupt in a cry straight from her tortured core._

_Noooooooooooo!_

_The voice came out of nowhere, causing her head to whip around. She started running in the direction it came from; the panic she had heard was unmistakable. And the voice was that of someone she cared for deeply. A powerful instinct to protect drove her forward, into the darkness. Suddenly the landscape around her was flooded with light as a briliant, silver-gilt castle appeared, it's crystalline towers shimmering in the earthlight._

_Earthlight?_

_She shook her head but the vision before her didn't change. The waxing Earth was clearly visible just above the horizon._

_Where am I?_

Chibiusa jerked awake, the fear of the dream catching in her throat. Moonlight lay across the foot of her bed, and the familiar surroundings of her room helped as she struggled to calm herself.

_Noooooooooooo! _The voice from her dream echoed again in head, only this time she recognized it with her mind instead of just her heart. It was Seiya.

She leapt from the bed and stumbled down the stairs, clumsy in her haste to reach him. The hallway was dark and ominously quiet. It took her a minute to figure out why that was so unnerving; there were no sounds at all coming from her parents' bedroom, and an aura of menace covered the door, as if some evil force was holding them inside. She was on her own.

So be it.

"TERRA CRYSTAL POWER!"

Her transformation triggered a reaction; Seiya's bedroom door exploded outward in a mass of wooden splinters and metal shards. Chibiusa ducked to avoid being hit by any of it and crawled the last few feet, reaching the room just as the window shattered and an immense wind swirled around her, making it difficult to rise to her feet.

"WINDS OF CHANGE!" she shouted, praying that her powers would actually work. Her attack clashed violently with the gust blowing within the room, canceling it out. The howling dropped away so suddenly the silence was almost deafening. She could see debris covering the floor and the bed, and her heart caught in her throat.

Laughter – twisted and malevolent – echoed in her head. She looked up and staggered to her feet, unable to make a sound despite her horror at the sight that met her eyes.

Seiya was crouched within the frame of the shattered window, the Silver Crystal grasped in one hand and his white and grey armor gleaming in the moonlight. His eyes were glowing an orange-gold and his grin could only be described as evil.

"SEIYA!" Chibiusa stretched out a hand towards her brother just as he turned and leaped from the window, disappearing into the night.


	21. Chapter 21

"It wasn't your fault, you know."

Chibiusa looked up to see Helios standing over her, holding out a mug of tea. She took it with a sniff. "So everyone keeps telling me. Yet somehow I don't feel any better."

It was barely past dawn and the house was full. The only person missing was Rei; she had arrived with the others but at Usagi's request had returned to Hikawa to use her spiritual powers in an attempt to track Seiya. It was probably the only chance they'd have.

Helios sat down beside Chibiusa, leaning back against the wall. He didn't attempt to offer any more words of comfort, for which she was grateful. She sipped at the tea, enjoying its warmth and the restorative effect of the sugar. Focusing on those physical needs kept her from thinking about, or looking at, anyone else. At least for a time.

She knew how ghastly her parents looked. After Seiya's disappearance it had taken her nearly an hour to break apart the magical barrier that had encased their bedroom. Even so they hadn't awakened right away, and that wait had been the longest, and loneliest, of her life. She had spilled the story of what happened as quickly as possible before breaking down and sobbing in her father's arms.

Usagi, however, had reacted in an unexpected way. She had briefly given way in the initial shock, but now she appeared as if emotionally encased in ice. She was calm, and in command of the situation. The rational decision to have Rei attempt to track Seiya was proof of that. Chibiusa felt a large measure of awe, and not a small amount of fear, as she watched her mother.

But it was easier to look at Usagi than it was to see Mariko. She sat on the sofa, knees pulled to her chest, huddled within herself. Makoto sat beside her, but may as well have been miles away. Mariko's pinched face and red-rimed eyes were a testament to the tears that had been shed, but they had long since stopped. When she met Chibiusa's eyes it was with a steely determination that was so unlike warm-heated Mariko that it sent a chill down the spine.

Chibiusa shuddered and squeezed her eyes shut against more tears. No matter what anyone said she knew that this – all of it – was her fault. She could think of at least three occasions on the path that had led to this point where if she had acted, or decided, differently she would have been strong enough to save her brother.

She felt an arm wrap around her shoulders and she was pressed against Helios' warmth. "Stop it," he whispered. "Thinking about all of those what-ifs will get you nowhere. What happens next is what matters." She swallowed hard and turned her face into his shoulder. "I mean it, Usa. The past isn't going to save your brother."

"Can we save him?"

He cupped her chin in one hand and raised her face so their eyes met. "I think that rather depends on you. If you believe we can than we will." He kissed her gently. "But youhave to believe in yourself as strongly as I do."

Chibiusa didn't now if it was from Helios' words, his kiss, or even the sugar in that damned cup of tea, but she suddenly felt a new-found strength in her heart. She clambered awkwardly to her feet, stiff from having sat on the floor for so long. But her hands were clenched at her sides and her face set in determined lines. "Mizuki. Akemi. Rio. Mariko. We've got work to do," she said, an undeniable tone of command in her voice. She looked down to where Helios still sat. "No one's excusing you, priest," she finished, grinning. He stood, pulling his robe straight.

"I wasn't expecting you to."

After quick hugs for her parents and a whispered "Trust me" in her mother's ear Chibiusa joined her friends on the street corner. She saw her own desire to help Seiya reflected in all of their faces. And the same uncertainty.

It was Mizuki who voiced it first. "Okay, dramatic exit notwithstanding, what do you propose to do now?"

"Know thy enemy," Helios put in, earning him surprised glances. "Isn't that the rule?"

Mizuki snorted in derision. "So we just randomly sprint around Tokyo in hopes of learning something about Chaos. Good plan." She grunted in pain when Mariko, who was standing closest, elbowed her in the ribs.

"Random won't get us any answers, obviously," Mariko said, shooting Mizuki a further warning glance. "We need a starting point, and then we can figure out a strategy from there. And no offense, Rio, but we can't afford to wait on your mom. The clock is ticking."

"No offense taken," Rio replied with a grin. "I happen to agree, wholeheartedly. So, Warrior of Intelligence, where do you think we should start?"

"Ummmm." Everyone turned to Akemi, surprised. "I think I might have an idea. Mom told me that the heart snatching victims of both the past and the present were all marked with a star. If the victim survived the star faded, if he died it was permanent."

Chibiusa nodded, remembering what had been in the police report on Aaron Henderson's death. "Always a five pointed star."

"Right," Akemi continued. "So maybe the number five is somehow significant, and might give us a clue as to where, or when, Chaos will appear next."

"But we've already been attacked five times," Mizuki put in. She ticked them off on her fingers. "The shopping district, the underground metro station, the shrine, the park, and now the house." She looked at Akemi. "I'm not discounting your idea. It just seems like there's something we don't know."

"Only one thing?" Mariko asked with a laugh. "Still, as of right now it's our best chance, so here's what we're going to do. Usa, you and Helios get to the district land and property office. Find out everything you can about all five locations; previous owners, zoning restrictions, sales, deed transfers, even tax information. Go back at least fifty years. Akemi, you and Rio go to all of them and see if Rio can get any kind of read on what's there; leftover spiritual traces or backwash. You -" she pointed at Mizuki "- are coming with me." She stopped speaking suddenly and turned a sheepish face to Chibiusa. "If that's okay with you, boss."

Chibiusa just grinned before grabbing Helios' hand and setting off at a run to the nearest bust stop.

Usagi felt horribly out of sorts after all the girls left. Her friends had stayed a little longer, but Ami was needed at the hospital and Minako had a meeting with her agent and a record producer. Before she left, though, Minako had made a point of of hugging her friend and apologizing for their earlier argument. She also added some extra encouragement.

"It'll work out, you'll see," she had whispered. "With all of us on the case how could it not?"

_But that's the problem_, Usagi thought. _We aren't __**all**__ on the case._ Ami and Minako had other concerns that had to be dealt with first. So did Mamoru. And she wasn't certain if the girls could be relied on; they were lifelong friends but the bonds of Guardians needed more time to be forged. Could they work together in any meaningful way without that connection?

"They'll be fine, you know." Usagi looked up to see Makoto placing a plate in front of her that contained all her favorite things for breakfast. "Eat," Makoto said with a smile. "Then we'll figure out what comes next."

Usagi almost instantly felt better even without a bite of food. It was the normalcy of the situation; Makoto in the kitchen and a delicious meal. She started to eat, and was surprised to discover how hungry she was. In no time at all the entire plate was empty and Makoto was pouring them both coffee before slipping into the chair beside her friend. "Now, spill. All of it. I feel like I've missed a few things in the last twenty-four hours."

So Usagi did. Every fear, every worry, every concern. Even a few triumphs. By the time she was finished the coffee pot was empty and the sun high in the sky. At the end Makoto stretched and rose from her chair. "Same old, Usagi," she said, smiling. "Worrying about all the things you have no control over instead of tackling those that you do."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Usagi asked, surprised.

"Just what I said. You're so focused on the things that you can't affect, and you're ignoring what's right in front of your face. For example, why did you send Rei off on her own instead of going with her? You know any fire reading she might do will be pretty much useless in this situation."

Tears sprang to Usagi's eyes. "What else could I do?" she all but shouted. "This is my son! And any clue, however small or useless, is better than nothing!"

Makoto grabbed her hands. "Believe me, I understand that. Do you think I'm unaware of how this is effecting everyone? My daughter. . ." She swallowed hard and continued in a more controlled voice. "But if we're all together don't you think Rei would stand a better chance of sensing something? Our combined strength may be what she needs right now!"

"But Minako and Ami -"

"Would have stayed and helped if Rei hadn't left!" Makoto exclaimed, slamming her hands on top of the table and making Usagi jump. "Your worries for your children have made you forget that we are always – ALWAYS – stronger together than apart. And, unless we're very lucky, that'll infect our daughters as well. And now is definitely not the time for that to happen."

"Makoto."

The soft voice was enough to startle both Makoto and Usagi. Rei stood in the archway between the living room and the kitchen, still garbed in the robes of a priestess. He eyes were shadowed and sunken, as if she hadn't slept in days. She smiled gently when she met Usagi's eyes. "Don't worry about the girls," she said. "They're fine. Better than we are, apparently." She glanced at Makoto. "Not that I disagree with anything you said, but maybe you could have phrased it a little better?"

Usagi shook her head. "No, it's all right. She said what needed to be said, and in exactly the right way. We're at a crisis point, and beating around the bush won't do anybody any good." She took a deep breath. "Did you learn anything?" she asked Rei.

"Nothing new," Rei replied. "Just confirmation of things we already know."

"But Seiya. . ."

"He's alive, I know that much. But -"

"That'll only last as long as Chaos thinks he's useful," Usagi finished the thought with a shudder.

"So the solution is simple, right?" Minako's voice. She and Ami were at the door of the kitchen. "All we have to do is catch up with Chaos before that happens."

"Easier said than done, Mina," Ami said. "But I have a few ideas."

"So do the girls," Rei commented. "And they've got a head start on us, so we should let them go. It's their fight now."

It was a long day for the five senior Guardians. Inaction did not come very naturally to any of them, but they had agreed that it was time for the next generation to step forward. They'd be ready and waiting with assistance and support, but the girls would lead.

It was a decision that Luna and Artemis agreed with when they had come to the house in the early afternoon. Luna's attitude, in particular, had done a complete turnaround. She reminded them all that the connection between the Moon and Earth Kingdoms that had survived millenia to bring Usagi and Mamoru together was now embodied in their children. If anyone could find and help Seiya it was Chibiusa. As the pair of them left Usagi made a point of speaking to Artemis.

"I don't know what you said to convince her," she had said, with a nod to where Luna waited. "But thank you."

Artemis had laughed. "She's stubborn, Usagi. Not stupid."

That was hours ago and the girls had still not returned. Mamoru arrived home with Motoki in tow, and a silent meal was eaten. Afterwards Makoto took her husband aside and after a whispered conversation and one last, lingering glance of concern Motoki left.

"I don't want him in any danger," Makoto explained. "And Mariko wouldn't be able to handle the additional distraction, on top of her fears for Seiya."

As soon as she finished speaking the front food opened, hard and fast. It banged against the wall with a sound that echoed through the house. "Mom! Dad!" Chibiusa called out. She charged into the living room at top speed, skidding to a stop when she saw everyone else that was present. "Good, you're all here." She went into the kitchen and cleared the table off with a sweep of her arm, shattering a vase and sending the flowers it had contained flying in all directions.

"Chibiusa!" Mamoru exclaimed.

"Never mind, Dad. We don't have time for any of that." She turned and faced their parents. "We've got it," she said, triumphant.

"Got what, exactly?" Minako asked, looking at each of the younger girls in turn. "Where have all of you been all day?"

"Where haven't we been?" Mariko asked as she pushed past everyone else and entered the kitchen. She was carrying a rolled bundle under her arm, which she spread out on the table. "As for what we have -" She swiped a hand across her forehead, leaving a streak of dirt. "We have the answer."

Everyone gathered around the table and looked down at a detailed map of their district of the city. It was laminated so that it could be written on and wiped clean. Mamoru touched a finger to the map and then looked up at his daughter, confused. "Explain."

Chibiusa gestured to Akemi, who took up the story of their conversation of that morning. "When I remembered the existence of the five pointed star on the victims of heart snatchings we thought that the number five might be important," she concluded. "So all we had to do was eliminate which of the first five attacks was the unimportant, or accidental, one and then Mariko took care of the rest."

"Wait, what do you mean which attack was unimportant?" Rei asked. "That doesn't make any sense."

"Give it a minute and it will," Mariko said, pulling a blue marker out of one of her pockets. "Usa and Helios tracked down all kinds of information about the locations we've been attacked at." She made an X on the map. "First was the shopping district, which was also the first time the Silver Crystal responded to Seiya. Next -" another X "- the underground station. Then Hikawa Shrine, the park, and this house." Another three X's joined the first two.

Mizuki came forward then, with a red marker in one hand and a damp paper towel in the other. "Hikawa was pretty obvious; there's been a shrine on that site for nearly two hundred years." She circled that X. "The station was built on the site of an old monastery that was abandoned in the early twentieth century, after the Russo-Japanese War." Circle. "The park and the house are on land that was one of the largest cemeteries on the outskirts of the city, before urban sprawl caught up." She circled those two X's. "Which leaves us with the shopping district."

"What's significant about it?" Minako asked.

"Nothing," Mizuki replied with a grin, wiping that X off of the map. "Even before the modernization of the district after the Second World War that area was a commercial warehouse and trade center. There's never been any kind of spiritual or religious site there."

"The unimportant attack," Makoto whispered.

"Exactly," Chibiusa added. "And we think that the Silver Crystal reacted to Seiya that day because of that lack of a spiritual aura. Like it felt free to give him what he needed."

Helios took up the thread from there. "And once that initial connection was made it only grew stronger, until it broke through not only Seiya's reluctance but the spiritual barrier here in the house."

"And transformed him," Chibiusa concluded. "But now that both the Crystal and Seiya are free Chaos has exactly what he needs."

Ami, who hadn't spoken a word during that entire recital, now leaned forward, hands on the table and eyes moving rapidly over the map, tracing its lines and the sites marked with X's. There was silence in the room, as if everyone was holding their breath. It was finally broken by Mariko. "You see it, don't you?"

Ami nodded and held out a hand. Akemi handed her a ruler and Mizuki passed over the red marker. Using the edge of the ruler and the marker Ami drew lines connecting all of the marked sites. The distinct shape of a five pointed star began to appear before their eyes. They watched as Ami hesitated before drawing the last two lines and stepping back. She shuddered and dropped the marker.

Mariko circled the spot where the final two lines intersected. "That is where Chaos is hiding, and where we'll find Seiya."

Usagi gave the map a quick glance before turning her attention to Ami, who was extremely pale and looked like she might vomit at any moment. "Ami? What's wrong?"

Ami merely shook her head and pointed at the map, grabbing hold of Makoto's arm as the taller woman rushed to support her. "What's at that spot?" Makoto asked, craning her head to get a better look at the map.

Rei leaned in to get a closer look, and they all saw her face blanch. "Sankakusu," she whispered.

Usagi felt as if her heart had stopped and for a moment she was afraid she might faint. She clenched a fist, and the pain of her nails digging into her palm steadied her. Rio, who was standing beside her, took hold of her arm as she swayed. "What is it?" Rio asked. "What's at Sankakusu?"

"Not what _is_ there, but what _was_ there," Mamoru answered, so pale that his eyes almost looked black. "Mugen Academy. And Tomoe's laboratory."


	22. Chapter 22

"Sankakusu," Luna mused. "So, like a dog that turns and eats his own excrement -"

"Luna!" Usagi yelped.

"What?" Luna asked, looking from Usagi to her husband. "Isn't that an apt analogy?"

Usagi stifled an unseemly giggle while Artemis answered. "It is, but I think Usagi is more surprised at you using it than at it being used." He raised a hand to halt her protest. "But your point is taken. Chaos has chosen to return to one of his past hiding places."

"And unfortunately for us he's chosen a particularly strong one," Usagi said. "It had to be, to keep Pharaoh 90's dimension caged up the way it did."

"What does Rei think?"

Usagi shrugged. "It's weak, but the old barrier is still there. And it's been reinforced." She bit her lip before going on. "Rio said that she can sense Seiya's presence in the strengthened areas. Which is not a great surprise, but still worrying," she concluded with a wan smile.

"So the bottom line is that the powers of all ten of you, plus whatever Mamoru and Helios can contribute, may not be enough to get us inside," Artemis summed up the situation.

"Maybe not, but Rei and Rio aren't finished with probing for weaknesses. And Helios thinks there might be a way by using the connection between the two Crystals. He took Chibiusa to Elysion with him in the hopes of learning more."

Chibiusa had not wanted to leave the others, and she had made Helios aware of that fact in no uncertain terms. But she had been unable to make any headway against his quiet insistence. They needed to know if the connection between the Crystals was strong enough to reach across whatever sort of barrier Chaos had erected, and Elysion was the best place to look for that answer.

Their arrival wasn't exactly uneventful. As soon as Chibiusa's feet touched the ground near the temple white roses began to appear, which was expected. The slight breeze stirred all of the petals on the ground, casting a snowdrift of them against the newcomers. Chibiusa looked down and felt a chill blossom in her stomach. All of the red petals were wilting before her eyes. She stooped to pick one up and held it out to Helios. "What does this mean?" she asked, her voice rough with concern.

Helios' eyes widened at the sight of the wilted red petal. He glanced around them; even the red roses still on the bushes were wilting. "I don't know," he answered Chibiusa's question. "I've never seen anything like it. Not in centuries."

"Is my father -" Chibiusa swallowed convulsively, tears springing to her eyes. "Is my father going to die?"

Helios shook his head. "I don't know," he repeated, putting an arm a round her and holding her close. "Let's get to the temple and find some answers."

Once there Chibiusa dusted white rose petals off of the plinth and placed her transformation brooch in the center. It dissolved before their eyes, leaving the Golden Crystal floating, its glow almost spectral in the dimness. She stayed where she was, not exactly sure what was supposed to happen, when suddenly she felt a tingling sensation spread outward from her heart, covering her entire body. She was transformed into Sailor Earth, even without the Crystal in her hand, and a sixth sense pulled her attention to the wall where previously she had seen the Amazoness Quartet.

Her vision fogged and misted, but instead of the four Guardian Goddesses she was confronted with an image that appeared to be her own future. She looked older, more mature, and was walking along a beach, holding the hands of two young boys. They skipped along beside her, laughing. Then a voice called out something that she couldn't understand, and the boys in her vision released her hands and ran away from her. Not in fear, but with laughter and joy. The ran towards a figure silhouetted against the setting sun, a figure that could not be seen clearly. But it was tall and broad-shouldered; obviously a man.

The, without warning, she could make out the word the two boys were shouting as they ran. _Uncle! Uncle!_ And the man in the vision turned his head and looked directly at her. His eyes were the deepest, indigo blue. Seiya's eyes

Chibiusa gasped and fell to her knees. The vision immediately faded, but that last sight of her brother's eyes stayed with her. If that vision had been of the future it meant they would be successful. They would save Seiya. But how?

"I know you want to believe in what you saw, but you have to remember that it's one of dozens of possible futures," Rio said, not turning from the sacred tree she stood before. Her four friends stood in a loose semi-circle around her, patiently waiting as she tied a prayer talisman to one of the small branches. She was dressed in her robes as a miko, a sight that had surprised all of them.

Rio had shrugged when asked about it. "It's past time, don't you think? I have to grow up and accept what I'm meant to be." The she had grinned. "Plus it seems to give my senses a boost, which is a great help to my mother."

They all understood that. Everything to do with Sankakusu filled their parents with dread. Rei in particular was adversely affected; whenever she went to the site she tired much quicker than normal, felt physically ill, and her spiritual senses seemed dulled. Rio was taking up the slack, and she seemed to be growing stronger as a result.

But they were still no closer to figuring out how to break through Chaos' defenses. Neither had Chaos come out since the night he had taken full control of Seiya. It had only been a couple of days, but the stalemate was wearing on all of them. Which was why Chibiusa was so determined to believe there was a future reality behind the vision she had had in Elysion. An overwhelming instinct told her it was true, and that the Golden Crystal was the key to unlocking everything. If only she could figure out how.

Later that night she sat on the ledge above her window, trying to relax and let her mind drift, hoping that the answer would come to her without conscious thought. She hugged her legs to her chest and rested a cheek against her upraised knees. But she couldn't stop her mind from constantly coming back to where her emotions were anchored; with Seiya. No matter what she couldn't escape the feelings of grief, and especially guilt, that she was carrying.

_Usa._

Her head snapped up, expecting to see herself caught in another vision. But there was nothing except the lights of the city spread out before her and the moon hanging above.

_Usa._

She got to her feet, one hand pressed to the roof to steady herself. "Seiya!" she called out. "SEIYA!"

_Time is running out, Usa. In two days it'll be over, and I'll cease to exist._

"What? What does that mean?"

_Two days, Usa._

"WAIT!" His presence disappeared from her mind, leaving her breathless. But he had been there, he had spoken to her. And it had been Seiya, with no trace of Chaos. He was still in control of the part of himself that connected the pair of them. And that meant there was a chance.

But two days? He had said that in two days he would cease to exist. What was happening in two days' time that could possibly have such grave consequences? She quickly climbed back through her bedroom window and raced down the stairs, bursting into the kitchen where her parents were sitting, quietly conversing with Helios.

"Two days!" she panted out, yanking open a drawer and grabbing one of the calendars it contained. "What happens in two days?" She frantically flipped through the pages to the current month.

"Chibiusa. . ." Usagi began, but her daughter waved her to silence. She continued what she was doing until she had flipped through every calendar in the drawer. "Dammit!" she exclaimed, slapping one of the date books on the edge of the counter. "There's nothing!"

Mamoru stood up and took hold of one of his daughter's arms, guiding her to sit in a chair. He stood over her. "What is this all about?" he asked.

The story was quickly told, and a powerful light of hope came into the eyes of both Mamoru and Usagi. "But two days?" Usagi asked, looking worried again. "How can we solve this mystery and win the battle in so short a span of time?"

"We need to know what, of significance, will be happening in two days," Mamoru said. He looked at the myriad of calendars that were scattered on the counter-top. "Are you sure there's nothing? Religious festival, bank holiday, anything?"

Chibiusa shook her head, feeling the tears threatening. "There's nothing," she whispered. "Nothing that would attract Chaos' attention."

"There's one thing." They all turned to Helios, who was standing in front of the large wall calendar. As the three of them came closer they all saw it; the wall calendar had the phases of the moon marked on it. And two days would be the night of the full moon.

Chibiusa looked confused. "But wouldn't the full moon suggest that Seiya's powers would be at their strongest?"

"Yes, it would," Helios answered. "Which would mean all the more power for Chaos to access and absorb." He shook his head. "Seiya doesn't have enough control over any of it to prevent that and if this goes as far as the night of the full moon he'll be the proverbial sitting duck."

Chibiusa swayed where she stood. "He said he'd cease to exist," she whispered, looking stricken. "If Chaos absorbs all of his power. . ."

"To absorb all of the power of a planetary guardian is the same as absorbing his or her soul. A fate many would consider worse than death."

"So, the bottom line is we finish this tomorrow, or there's no point in even trying," Usagi said, her voice again taking on that unnerving, unnaturally calm tone. They all stared at her. "Are we agreed?" she asked.

Everyone nodded. Agreed.

"Anything?"

"If you ask me that again, Usa, I swear I will set your hair on fire," Rio responded, eyes closed in concentration.

Rei and Rio stood together, stopped at a point beyond which their spiritual senses could not penetrate. They were near where the old Ten'ozu condominium building had stood; across the street was the site that had been Mugen Academy. It was now a park with a small pond near the edge that was closest to the bay. In all of the probing and searching that had been done that pond was the only place in all of Sankakusu that was completely clean, Rio had said.

"Rio -"

"I've got plenty of flames for you too, Mizuki."

Mizuki looked pained. "I wasn't going to ask anything. Just a gentle reminder that sunset isn't that far off."

It had been Rei who had insisted that whatever they could do needed to be accomplished before sunset. Every attack in which they had beaten Chaos back had taken place as the day waned. The one time the enemy had been successful had been long after dark. It seemed obvious that their best chance of gaining any ground lay in the presence of sunlight. Moonlight might just work against them, even with Usagi's powers.

Suddenly Rei gasped and fell to the ground. Makoto rushed forward to support her. "I'm all right," Rei managed to gasp out, her breathing ragged. "But it's too much; I can't go any further."

"We can fix that," Minako said, holding aloft her Venus Crystal. The other senior Guardians all took the hint and in a flash the Eternals were together, hands clasped, pouring their extra strength and power into Rei. It worked; Rei was also able to transform and, as Sailor Mars, seemed to gain a second wind. She returned to her daughter's side and as soon as she took her hand Rio also transformed.

Chibiusa flashed her friends a grin. "What are you guys waiting for?" she asked and with bursts of multicolored light they changed, and all ten Guardians stood together. The extra power rippled in the air around them, flattening grass and causing trees to bow and sway. Mamoru, Helios, Luna, and Artemis, who had been positioned a safe distance away, all staggered slightly as the excess washed over them. Now all four approached closer, anxious to contribute whatever strength or presence they could to the effort to punch through Chaos' barriers.

"It's no good," Rio finally spoke, her shoulders slumping. "We can't get through."

Mizuki stepped forward. "Maybe not spiritually," she said. "But I'm not ready to give up just yet. CRESCENT BEAM!"

The others quickly joined in, launching attack after physical attack. Water splashed, fire roared, lighting flashed and sparks flew. Rei was the last to make any attempt. A fiery ofuda appeared in her hand. "AKURYO TAISAN!" The ofuda was stopped as suddenly as it had been launched, but it didn't burn away. It hung in place and ripples spread out from it, distorting the air. "Usagi!" Rei called out, pointing.

"SILVER MOON CRYSTAL POWER KISS!"

That final attempt erupted against the invisible blockade, sending silver sparks flying and further distorting the air around them. It flew and rebounded, striking again, and again. Everyone except Usagi and her daughter dove out of the way as the backlash ripped through where they had been standing.

Then the roar of sound and the rush of air died away. Rio was the first to rise to her feet, walking forward with a hand outstretched. She stopped as suddenly as if walking into a wall and turned a stricken face to the others. She simply shook her head.

"NO!" Chibiusa shouted. "No, that can't be!" She ran to Helios, grabbing his arms so tightly that he winced. "There has to be something. Anything!"

"The sun is going," Ami quietly spoke and they all turned to face the west as the sun slipped lower and burnished the sky. Chibiusa sniffed and started to silently cry, leaning against Helios, who wrapped his arms tightly around her and laid a cheek against her hair.

Usagi felt as if she were paralyzed, unable to even feel. Her last hopes drained away and she dropped to her knees, fists clenched in the soil. Her transformation disappeared as despair overwhelmed her. Mamoru could only kneel at her side, one hand against her back, his own head bowed.

The only person who didn't react as expected was Mariko. No tears, no despair; she moved slightly away from the group, her attention completely focused on the eastern sky. As she watched the nearly full moon became visible, reflected in the pond on the park's edge. She stood still and quiet, head cocked slightly to one side as if listening intently to something, or someone, only she could hear.

"Seiya," she whispered. Everyone's attention snapped to her. "Seiya?" she called out once, questioning, and then broke into a run toward the park. She leapt over the fence and kept running, finally coming to a stop at the pond's edge where she dropped to her knees and plunged her hands into the water, destroying the moon's reflection on its previously placid surface.

"Mariko!" Chibiusa shouted, sprinting after her friend. Mizuki, Rio, Akemi and Helios followed, strung out in a line. Their parents, along with Luna and Artemis, seemed too stunned to react.

"He's here!" Mariko shouted as her friends drew closer. "I can feel it. Through the water."

Chibiusa looked up at Helios from where she had knelt beside Mariko. "Is it possible?" she whispered. "It's the moon's reflection, not the real thing. Can we reach him through it?"

Rio knelt between Chibiusa and Mariko and put her hands into the water, eyes closed. Her face twisted, as if she were in some pain, and then her eyes snapped open. "Everyone, put your hands in the water!" Mizuki and Akemi were quick to obey, but Chibiusa hesitated. She covered her transformation brooch with one hand, willing it to vanish and expose the Golden Crystal. Once she held it she followed suit and they were all pulled towards the water as if they would fall in. Then in a burst of gold and silver light the five girls disappeared, leaving Helios standing alone at the pond's edge, his face a mask of incredulous surprise.

"CHIBIUSA!" Usagi cried out. She ran to the pond with the other girls' mothers and Mamoru. But no matter what they tried they couldn't follow. The girls were on their own.

The plunge into another dimension was the most surreal experience of any of their lives. It seemed to take forever, the water through which they fell swirling around them in a mixture of their signature colors as Guardians. Then, just as quickly as it had started it came to an end and the five of them lay on an uneven stone floor, soaking wet and gasping for breath. Mariko recovered first, getting to her feet and using her powers to absorb all of the water around them, instantly drying everyone. Between Rio's fire and the Golden Crystal they had plenty of light.

"What do we do now?" Mizuki asked, wincing as her voice echoed off of the walls and sounded unnaturally loud.

They all looked around them, trying to figure out what their next move should be. "Can you two douse those lights?" Akemi asked Rio and Chibiusa. The pair instantly complied with her request and they were all able to notice what had caught her eye. A silver gleam was visible at the far end of a narrow tunnel. It was pulsing in time to someone's heartbeat.

"We go that way," Chibiusa said, keeping her hand closed around the Golden Crystal so it's light wasn't visible. She set off down the tunnel, looking much calmer than she felt. The others followed, walking single file in the tight space.

It didn't take very long to traverse the length of that tunnel, and before they knew it they all emerged into a large, open space. The only sound was of their breathing and the constant drip of water. There was a lake of sorts on the chamber's far side, and a figure seated on a rock at the water's edge.

"Seiya!" Mariko called out happily, and started forward. Both Mizuki and Rio stopped her before she could go more than a step, though. "No," Rio said, her voice strained. "That's not Seiya."

"Very observant," the figure said, standing up and starting to walk closer. It was Seiya's voice, but not as any of them had ever heard him speak. It was cold and harsh, dismissive to the point of rudeness. He stopped just a few yards from where the five girls stood, and even from that distance they could all see the orange-gold glow of his eyes. A ghostly, menacing image hung in the air around him, blacker than the darkness that surrounded them all.

Chaos.


	23. Chapter 23

"It's been a long time," Chaos said, speaking through Seiya. "I've been watching the five of you for years, and I have to say I'm impressed. Reluctantly, but still impressed." His gaze locked with Chibiusa's. "I'm sorry to be denied the opportunity to finish this with your mother, since it all started with her." He shrugged. "Still, I suppose that can't be helped."

Chibiusa was thoroughly unnerved at hearing that tone of menace coming out of her brother's mouth, especially the casual way he referred to 'your mother'. A lifetime of memories, both good and bad, swirled in her head, keeping her all but frozen in place. She stood in front of the thing that had been her brother, unable to move or react.

"Okay, that's enough of that nonsense," she heard Rio mutter beside her. "FIRE SOUL!" Purple flames streaked across the space, ricocheting off the wall and striking at the shadow just above Seiya's head. He didn't even flinch.

"So the Guardian of Fire turns out to be the hothead," he commented, almost to himself. "Quite a change from in the past." He looked at Mizuki. "Care to take your shot now, Goddess of Love and Beauty?"

Mizuki sneered. "I won't waste my energy until I know for sure it'll kick your ass."

Chaos laughed. "Not so different from your mother, are you? The only question is who's ass do you expect to kick?" And Seiya suddenly slumped to the ground as the shadow behind him grew larger. When he lifted his head his eyes were the old, familiar blue.

That sight jolted Chibiusa out of her stupor. "Seiya!" She started forward, only to have him hold up a hand. "No, don't," he gasped out, his face twisted. She ignored him and crossed the last few feet that separated them, but when she went to touch him she was blasted back by a jolt of negative energy. She landed with a grunt of pain. Mariko ran to her.

"Are you all right?" she asked, keeping a watch on where Seiya crouched, not far away. When Chibiusa nodded in response she turned and took two steps closer to him. "Seiya." His name was all she said, but visible tears sprang to his eyes.

"Mariko," he whispered. "Don't. Don't come any closer."

Mariko took two more steps. "Why not?" she asked. "You won't hurt me."

"What's she doing?" Akemi asked, watching the situation unfold. Rio shrugged, not having a clue but unable to look away.

"She's trying to reach the deepest emotional heart of him," Mizuki replied. "The part of him that loves. She's trying to sever the link with Chaos."

"Will that work?" Rio asked, amazed at Mariko's calm face despite what was surely intense emotional turmoil.

Suddenly Seiya groaned and his entire body lit up with the same negative energy that had thrown Chibiusa. They all heard his in drawn breath, and then malevolent laughter. The blue of his eyes was once again replaced by the orange glow. "Nice try, Water Warrior. But surprisingly unintelligent of you." He lifted a hand and fired a jet of energy at her, catching Mariko completely off guard.

'CRESECENT BEAM SHOWER!" Mizuki let fly with multiple bursts of light, forming a shield around Mariko. Chaos' attack exploded against it and scattered, energy spent.

Chibiusa let out a sigh of relief from where she lay, still somewhat dazed from her fall. As long as they could defend themselves they still had a chance. And there had been a moment when she was certain that Mariko's attempt would be successful. Was that the key? To force Seiya's emotions to rise in an overwhelming tide until they all but drowned Chaos?

But once they separated the two how, exactly, did they finish Chaos off?

In the park Helios and Rei knelt on opposite sides of the pond, their hands deep in the water, trying to make any kind of connection with the younger Guardians. Usagi watched them intently, shivering as the cool of evening deepened around them. She had forced down all of her negative emotions and been able to transform back into Eternal Sailor Moon, but she still knew she was helpless. Whatever could be done at this point was entirely up to Rei and Helios.

Mamoru came up behind her and slipped his jacket over her shoulders. "Are you all right, Usako?" he asked. She nodded, smiling at the old, well-worn, but beloved nickname. "It'll work out, you'll see," he said, hugging her from behind. "Chibiusa is stronger than we've been giving her credit for. All the girls are."

"I know," she whispered. And she did know it, at least intellectually. But in her heart she still worried. Love, compassion, kindness, and sacrifice had been what freed Sailor Galaxia from Chaos' grip all those years ago. Those were qualities that all of the girls had in abundance, but did they have what it took to stand together in the face of the seemingly impossible? Was their bond as Guardians, still so new and untested, strong enough to carry them through?

"I've got her!" they heard Helios shout. Usagi and Mamoru ran forward, stopping just behind him. "I can feel Usa," Helios continued. "She's unhurt. And. . ." His voice trailed off as his eyes closed. "I can see the others through her eyes. Everyone's okay."

"And Seiya?" Usagi blurted out.

The seconds ticked by, an almost interminable amount of time until Helios spoke again. "He's there, but shadowed. I can't see or sense him clearly."

"Rei?" Usagi asked, almost pleading.

"Just emotions," Rei answered. "No thoughts. The thoughts are all Chaos."

Usagi sighed in relief. Chaos in control of her son's mind could be overcome, as long as the heart was still Seiya's. She glanced up to where the moon hung in the sky, swollen and heavy. It's light renewed her strength, as it always did. And on this night the connection felt especially strong, and she closed her eyes. _Please, Queen Serenity. Mother._ She inwardly prayed. _We need you_ _now, more than you know. Your grandson needs you._

"Got any more bright ideas?" Mizuki asked. "Anyone?"

Chibiusa was intently watching Seiya, trying to observe any weakness, anything they might be able to exploit. His emotional presence was so strong in that cavern, but she was concerned that it might not be enough, not as long as Chaos could exert any control over his mind and body. They had to figure out a way to weaken Chaos, making it easier to break the connection. _Seiya, please,_ she thought, hoping her feelings could reach him. _ I know you're still in there, so help us, dammit!_

Suddenly the entire atmosphere in the cave changed, and Seiya turned his head and stared directly at Chibiusa. His expression was so intent it was if we was peering into her soul, and so quickly that she thought she imagined it his eyes flashed to blue, and then back to the orange-gold. And in that brief moment the shadow that was Chaos wavered and moved slightly away from him.

"Did you see that?" Mizuki asked, moving to grab Chibiusa's arm. Chibiusa nodded and turned her back on Seiya and looked at her friends. Her companions and allies.

"We have to use Seiya's emotions against him," she said, meeting each of their gazes directly, Mariko's last. "If we fill this cavern with every positive emotion any of us has ever felt towards him it may just do the trick." She felt tears start to sting at her eyes. "I know I haven't always been the best, or most loving, big sister, but I swear I will **not** lose my little brother. Not when he's finally become thoroughly interesting," she concluded with a wan smile.

Mizuki took one of her hands. "Not when he's become an ally we can trust," she added, holding out a hand to Akemi, who quickly clasped it. "Not when he's shown the depths of his friendship with all of us," she added before taking Rio's hand in hers. Rio grinned. "Not when he's proven Usa wrong about him in the most amazing way." They all glanced at Mariko, who hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and taking hold of Rio's and Chibiusa's hands, completing the circle.

"Not when I've been able to confess my feelings for him, and know that he returned them," she softly said, blinking back tears.

The power of their emotions swelled in all of them, and a perceptible glow blossomed around each girl: red, blue, orange, green, and gold. As the glows brightened they could hear Seiya groan in pain, and a small patch of silver blossomed in the center of their circle, growing steadily brighter. Akemi, who had the best view of Seiya and Chaos's shadow shouted "It's working!"

Chibiusa didn't dare turn her head to look; focus was everything at that moment. She kept her mind on Seiya, remembering the years before teen aged emotions and rivalry had pushed them apart; the years when they had been virtually inseparable. Seiya as a toddler, his unruly mop of dark hair flopping around his face as he ran after her along the seaside, their parents looking on fondly. Seiya at age nine, visiting her in the hospital after she had her tonsils removed, his expressive face unable to hide his relief that she was okay. And Seiya as he had been just weeks before, holding the Silver Crystal and transformed into the Prince and Guardian of the Moon Kingdom. _Seiya, I hope you can hear me_, she prayed. _I have never loved or cared for you as much as I do at this moment, and I promise you that if we get out of this I will always be there for you. I'll never let anything, or anyone, come between us again._

Suddenly the glow around the five girls intensified and shot skyward in beams of each individual color. Chibiusa's gold was the brightest, but the others weren't far behind. It connected with the roof of the cavern with explosive force, forcing them to release each other and duck for cover as a shower of rock and dust poured down on them. But Chaos had clearly been weakened; even after the connection between them had been severed he was slow to react, and when he did his shadow left Seiya behind, lying on the floor of the cavern, apparently unconscious.

_Usa!_ A voice sounded in her head.

"Helios?!" Chibiusa cried out, clambering out from under the overhanging rock she had sheltered under. "Where are you?" she asked, looking up at the ceiling.

_Still in the real world_, came the reply. _But whatever the five of you just did keep it up. I can see you more clearly._

"Is my mother with you? Can you bring her into this connection?" There was a pause as the other four watched intently, not interrupting. Then Chibiusa heard her mother's voice. _Usagi?_

"MOM!" she gasped out, tears welling in reaction to her mother addressing her as Usagi, instead of her nickname. "Help me, please, Mom! I need you!"

_The moon, Usagi. It's directly over the pond right now. You have to break through that barrier so it's light can reach Seiya. _There was a pause, as if a consultation were taking place, then her mother was back. _Chaos has released your brother. He's completely focused on the five of you right now, but that won't last. You have to act. Now!_

Chibiusa didn't hesitate; she pointed upward to the part of the ceiling they had already damaged. She could feel a palpable increase in the power that all of them wielded. "Hit it!" she shouted to her friends. "And get ready to take cover! TYPHOON BARRAGE!"

"SHINE AQUA ILLUSION!"

"BURNING MANDALA!"

"SPARKLING WIDE PRESSURE!"

"LOVE ME CHAIN!"

The five attacks arced upward and spiraled together, fusing and becoming one. When they struck the ceiling the sound was deafening, and they all clambered for shelter, Mizuki forcibly dragging Chibiusa with her. This time boulders came down with crashing force, along with a dust cloud of immense size. But there was also a change in the aura of the cavern; a lightening of the air inside. The barrier had been broken.

Then an angry roar filled the space, coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. The shadow that was Chaos abandoned his pursuit of the five girls and turned back toward Seiya's collapsed form, intent on taking back control. But before he could reach his goal the dust cleared and a bright silver shaft of moonlight descended from above and illuminated Seiya. He stirred and sat up slowly, blinking in the sudden brightness. Then he reached up, as if to touch the moon itself, and the Silver Crystal appeared in his hand. The air in the cavern whirled around him and lifted him off of his feet. Then the Crystal flashed, immensely bright, and Seiya was transformed, his white and silver armor shining from within and the crescent moon on his forehead glittering. His blue eyes, steady and strong, were visible even from a distance.

Mariko burst into tears and ran across the cavern, throwing herself into his arms. The others could hear their hurriedly whispered conversation, words of affection mixed in with abundant tears from both sides. Then Seiya laughed, sounding just like his usual self, and kissed her.

After a moment Mizuki coughed and the two broke apart. "Hate to interrupt," she said, grinning. "But this fight isn't over yet."

Seiya laughed again. "No worries," he responded. "I know just what needs to be done." He released Mariko and held a hand out to his sister. "Together?"

Chibiusa grinned through her own tears and grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. "Always," she replied, her voice rough with emotion.

A booming voice filled the cavern, full of loathing and evil intent. "This will make no difference at all," it said, loud enough to hurt their ears. "As long as humans fear the darkness, both within and without, I will always come back."

Chibiusa lifted her chin and unconsciously stood straighter; a true Earth Goddess. "Maybe so," she said, with a quick glance at her brother, who nodded his agreement. "But we can definitely close some of the cracks you ooze through." And with an effort of will she called the Golden Crystal to her hand as Seiya held the Silver Crystal aloft.

The lights of both brightened and blended, growing in power and intensity. A magical crackling filled the space, centered around the siblings but reaching out to pull the Guardians in also. "We have to help!" Mizuki called out. "Give them everything you've got! VENUS POWER!"

"MARS POWER!"

JUPITER POWER!"

"MERCURY POWER!"

Orange, red, green and blue light joined the gold and silver, the entire mass pulsing in time with the joined heartbeats of all six. Then Seiya and Chibiusa lifted their clasped hands and the light flew across the chamber, striking and obliterating the shadow that hung there. With one last, pained shriek Chaos melted away, the darkness receding and the moonlight filling the entire space. There were a few moments of stunned silence before sighs and laughs of relief filled the air as all six were engulfed in one multi-armed hug.

"Again, I hate to be the one to interrupt," Mizuki said, wiping tears from her cheeks. "But we still have to get out of here and back to the real world."

"Relax," Mariko said. "I've got this." She raised her hands above her head and water cascaded down and around them in a sphere. "We came here through water, and we'll get out the same way!" she exclaimed as the sphere lifted off the ground, pulling them all up and toward where the almost full moon shone it's gentle light down on the Earth.

The adults all waited, crowded around the pond. They had no idea what was going on; when the barrier had collapsed it had disrupted the connections that Helios and Rei had been using, leaving all of them ignorant of what their children were going through. Minako had been unable to keep still, her nervous energy leading to frenzied pacing until Artemis had grasped her arm and whispered a few words, calming her down. Luna had simply smiled her gratitude to her husband; the last thing they needed was for any of them to suffer some sort of nervous collapse.

Suddenly Makoto lurched to her feet and pointed. About twenty feet away the ground started to glow with an eerie blue light, growing stronger as they watched. A strange sphere then rose out of the earth, wrapped around five daughters and one son. It hovered in place for a moment, the collapsed with a loud splash, releasing the teenagers.

"Mom! Dad!" Seiya and Chibiusa exclaimed together, running to their parents. Usagi felt her knees go weak with relief and would have fallen over if her son hadn't taken hold of her in a hug that threatened to squeeze the life out of her. She didn't object, though; she didn't think she'd ever again object to anything Seiya did. When he pulled back from her she reached up and held his face between her hands, aware of the tears trailing down his cheeks. Her throat was so tight that she couldn't speak, but the gentle finger that traced the crescent moon on his forehead was more eloquent than words.

Pandemonium had erupted in the park with hugs, tears, explanations and praise. Helios stood a little apart from it all, barely aware that he was also crying. He turned his back on the group and walked away, thinking that to return to Elysion without a long, protracted good-bye would probably be best for everyone. Especially himself.

"I don't think you'll be able to go back."

He stopped, but didn't turn around. The last thing he wanted was to see Chibiusa for what might be the last time. Then her words sank in. "What?"

She came around in front of him and waited until his eyes met hers, then she opened her hand. Resting in her palm was a tiny crystalline shard that gave off a muted gold glow. Helios gasped and took it from her, recognizing it as soon as his skin touched it. It was the Golden Crystal, reduced to a minuscule fraction of its former glory.

"That's all that's left," Chibiusa said. "The Silver Crystal is the same." She took the shard back from Helios and held it up between her thumb and forefinger. "It took nearly all of the power of both crystals combined to defeat Chaos." She sounded immeasurably sad as she continued. "Even so this isn't really the end. Chaos said it himself; as long as human beings fear the darkness from within as well as from without he'll always have a chance to come back." She shivered and closed her hand around the shard, watching as her transformation brooch reformed around it.

Helios put his arms around her and pulled her close. "It'll return. You'll grow and change in the coming years, and so will it," he whispered. "Have faith. Believe in yourself as strongly as I believe in you."

Chibiusa gulped against a fresh tide of tears. "But without the full power of the Golden Crystal you're stuck here! On regular Earth!"

"With you?" Helios asked, pulling away slightly and brushing the hair off of her face. "I don't know about you but right now that sounds like the best place to be." And he kissed her, a gesture she returned with all of her heart.

"One thing makes more sense," he said, long moments later.

"Hmmm? What?" Chibiusa asked.

"At least now we know why the red roses were wilting."

_**Shūryō**_

_Final author's note: At the time I first began writing this story (Over three years ago!) I realized that it would be important to have visuals of what the five daughters looked like when they became Guardians, mainly because I wanted to have them in my head as looking enough like the older generation Senshi. But I also gave each girl a few little twists to make them different. Some are in a different shade of the signature fuku colors, some hair color or style, and even left-handed (Rio/Mars). I put them together using the Sailor Senshi Maker at and they can be found in my gallery here: galleries/sandyclaws-287471_


End file.
